IN  MEMORIAM 

John  Swett 


PINNOCK'S  IMPROVED  EDITION 

OP 

DR.    GOLDSMITH'S 

HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 

FROM  THE  INVASION  OF 

JULIUS  CAESAR  TO  THE  DEATH  OF  GEORGE  n. 

WITH   A 

CONTINUATION  TO  THE  YEAR  1845. 

WITH 

QUESTIONS  FOR  EXAMINATION 

AT    THE    END    OF    EACH    SECTION. 

BESIDES  A  VARIETY  OF  VALUABLE  INFORMATION,  ADDED 
THROUGHOUT  THE  WORK. 


CONSISTING   OF 

Tables  of  Contemporary  Sovereigns 

and  Eminent  Persons. 
Copious  Explanatory  Notes. 


Remarks  on  the  Politics,  Manners,  and 

Literature  of  the  Age. 
An  Outline  of  the  Constitution,  &c.  Ac 


ILLUSTRATED    WITH   NUMEROUS    ENGRAVINGS. 


FORTY-FIFTH   AMERICAN,    FROM   THE  THIRTY-FIFTH   ENGLISH   EDITION. 


PHILADELPHIA:  * 

THOMAS,   COWPERTHWAIT  &   CO. 

1846. 


*?V  ,4 


V 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1838, 
By  F.  W.  Greenough, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION 


Next  to  our  own  national  history,  it  is  incumbent 
on  American  youth  to  make  themselves  acquainted 
with  that  of  the  country  from  which  we  derive  our 
political  existence,  and  the  most  valuable  of  our  cus- 
toms and  institutions.  The  history  of  England  will 
never  cease  to  be  interesting  to  us.  It  will  never  be 
other  than  a  valuable  and  important  branch  of  instruc- 
tion in  our  schools. 

Among  all  the  histories  of  that  country  which  have 
been  written,  none  has  been  so  long  and  so  deservedly 
popular  as  that  of  Dr.  Goldsmith.  Whether  this  be  owing 
to  its  attractive  and  perfectly  intelligible  style,  or  to  the 
vivid  impression  which  his  simple  and  clear  narrative 
of  the  facts  never  fails  to  leave,  it  is  not  now  important 
to  inquire.  The  fact  of  its  established  classical  charac- 
ter, is  sufficient  to  justify  the  publisher  in  selecting  the 
most  approved  edition  of  this  work,  to  be  revised  and 
adapted  to  the  use  of  schools  in  our  own  country. 

The  mass  of  illustrative  matter,  consisting  of  notes, 
tables,  engravings,  &c,  which  the  reader  will  find  in 
the  present  edition,  may  be  regarded  as  adding  greatly 
to  its  value;  and  the  complete  and  careful  series  of  ques- 
tions appended  to  each  section  will  claim  the  especial 
notice  of  teachers. 

3 


64 !  6(15 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

Brief  sketch  of  the  Saxon  Idols  from  which  the  Days 
of  the  Week  received  their  names. 


The  idols  which  our  Saxon  ancestors  worshipped  were  various ;  but 
those  which  are  delineated  in  the  Frontispiece,  and  from  which  the  days 
of  the  week  derive  their  names,  were  the  principal  objects  of  their 
adoration. 

The  Idol  of  Ihe  SUN. 

This  Idol,  which  represented  the  glorious  luminary  of  the  day,  was  the 
chief  object  of  their  adoration.  It  is  described  like  the  bust  of  a  man, 
set  upon  a  pillar;  holding,  with  outstretched  arms,  a  burning  wheel  be- 
fore his  breast.  The  first  day  of  the  week  was  especially  dedicated  to  its 
adoration,  which  they  termed  the  Sun's  daeg  ;  hence  is  derived  the  word 
Sunday. 

The  Idol  of  tie  MOON. 

The  next,  was  the  Idol  of  the  Moon,  which  they  worshipped  on  the 
second  day  of  the  week,  called  by  them  Moon's  daeg  ;  and  since  by  us 
Monday. 

The  form  of  this  idol  is  intended  to  represent  a  woman,  habited  in  a 
short  coat,  and  a  hood,  with  two  long  ears.  The  moon  which  she  holds 
in  her  hand  designates  the  quality. 

The  Idol  of  TUISCO. 

Tuisco  was  at  first  deified  as  the  father  and  ruler  of  the  Teutonic 
race,  but  in  course  of  time  he  was  worshipped  as  the  son  of  the  earth. 
From  him  came  the  Saxon  words  Tuisco' s  daeg,  which  we  call  Tuesday. 

He  is  represented  standing  on  a  pedestal,  as  an  old  Venerable  sage, 
clothed  with  the  skin  of  an  animal,  and  holding  a  sceptre  in  the  right 
hand. 

The  Idol  WODEN,  or  ODIN. 

Woden,  or  Odin,  was  the  supreme  divinity  of  the  Northern  nations. 
This  hero  is  supposed  to  have  emigrated  from  the  East,  but  from  what 
country,  or  at  what  time,  is  not  known.  His  exploits  form  the  greatest  part 
of  the  mythological  creed  of  the  Northern  nations,  and  his  achievements 
are  magnified  beyond  all  credibility.  The  name  of  the  fourth  day  of  the 
week,  called  by  the  Saxon's  Woden's  daeg,  aDd  by  us  Wednesday,  is 
derived  from  this  personage. 

Woden  is  represented  in  a  bold  and  martial  attitude,  clad  in  armour, 
with  a  broad  sword,  uplifted,  in  his  right  hand. 

The  Idol  THOB. 

Thor,  the  eldest  and  bravest  of  the  sons  of  Woden  and  Friga,  was, 
after  his  parents,  considered  as  the  greatest  god  among  the  Saxon  and 

a2 


Vi        OF  THE  IDOLATRY  OF  THE  SAXONS,  &C. 

Danes.    To  him  the  fifth  day  of  the  week,  called  by  them  Thor's  daeg, 
and  by  us  Thursday,  was  consecrated. 

Thor  is  represented  as  sitting  on  a  throne,  with  a  crown  of  gold  on  his 
head,  adorned  with  a  oircle  in  front,  wherein  were  set  twelve  bright  bur- 
nished gold  stars,  and  with  a  regal  sceptre  in  his  right  hand. 

The  Idol  FRIG  A,  or  FREA. 

Friga,  or  Frea,  was  the  wife  of  Woden,  or  Odin ;  and,  next  to  him, 
the  most  revered  divinity  among  the  heathen  Saxons,  Danes,  and  other 
Northern  nations.  In  the  most  ancient  times,  Friga,  or  Frea,  was  the 
same  with  the  goddess  Hertha,  or  Earth.  To  her  the  sixth  day  of  the 
week  was  consecrated,  which  by  the  Saxons  was  written  Friga's  daeg, 
corresponding  with  our  Friday. 

Friga  is  represented  with  a  drawn  sword  in  her  right  hand,  and  a  bow 
in  her  left. 

The  Idol  S EATER. 

The  Idol  Seater  is  represented  on  a  pedestal,  whereon  is  placed  a 
perch,  on  the  sharp  prickled  back  of  which  he  stood.  His  head  was  un- 
covered, and  his  visage  lean.  In  his  left  hand  he  held  up  a  wheel,  and 
in  his  right  was  a  pail  of  water,  wherein  were  flowers  and  fruits ;  and 
his  dress  consisted  of  a  long  coat,  girded  with  linen. 

The  appellation  given  to  the  day  of  his  celebration  is  still  retained. 
The  Saxons  named  it  Seater's  daeg,  which  we  call  Saturday. 

It  will  be  seen,  in  our  explanation  of  the  Mythological  plate,  that  the  names  of 
the  days  of  tue  week  owe  their  origin  to  the  names  given  by  the  Saxons  to  their 
chief  idols.  We  shall  here  observe,  that  the  names  which  they  gave  to  the  months 
were  singularly  descriptive  of  the  seasons,  and,  therefore,  we  subjoin  them :  re- 
marking, by  the  way,  that  the  names  of  the  months  adopted  by  the  French  during 
the  Revolution,  though  more  elegant,  were  not  more  appropriate  than  those  of 
the  Saxons,  whose  ideas  they  appear  to  have  borrowed.— Their  first  month  was 
styled. 

Midwinter  Monath ... December. 

Jlefter  Yula (or  after  Christmas) January. 

Sol  Monath (From  the  returning  sun) Februart. 

Rethe  Monath  ....  .(Rugged  Month) March. 

Easter  Monath. .  j  (F™Ser^X°"  .ffff^.  ^T..  .^™!*!?!  }  AntiL. 

Trimilchi (From  cows  being  milked  thrice  a  day) May. 

Sere  Monath (Dry  month) June. 

Mad  Monath (The  meads  being  then  in  bloom) .--. .  July. 

Weod  Monath (From  the  luxuriance  of  weeds) August. 

Heefest  Monath  . . .  .(Harvest  month) September. 

„-  ,      -,  „.  .      ( (From  winter  approaching  with  the  full  moon  of )  -.'  _.     _ 
Winter  Fylltsh..^  that  month).»  J1.. ....  * {  October. 

„,  ,   -,    „,.         ( (From  the  blood  of  cattle  slain  that  month,  and)  —    '.V.., 
Blot  Monath. . . .  j  *  stored  for  winter  provision) ..'.,..{  November. 


THE 

HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


•  .  a      '  » 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  ANCIENT  BRITONS. 

OP  BRITAIN,*  FROM  THE  INVASION  OF  JULIUS  CiESAR,f  B.  C.  54, 
TO  THE  ABDICATION  OF  THE   ROMANS.^ 

SECTION  I. 

Theirs  was  the  science  of  a  martial  race, 

To  shape  the  lance  or  decorate  the  shield 
E'en  the  fair  virgin  stain'd  her  native  grace, 

To  give  new  horrors  to  the  tented  field. 

1.  Britain  was  but  very  little  known  to  the  rest  of  the 
world  before  the  time  of  the  Romans.  The  coasts  oppo- 
site Gaul§  were  frequented  by  merchants,  who  traded 
thither  for  such  commodities  as  the  natives  were  able  to 
produce,  and  who,  it  is  thought,  after  a  time,  possessed 
themselves  of  all  the  maritime  places  where  they  had  at 
first  been  permitted  to  reside.  2.  Finding  the  country 
fertile,  and  commodiously  situated  for  trade,  they  settled 
upon  the  seaside,  and  introduced  the  practice  of  agricul- 
ture ;  but  it  was  very  different  with  the  inland  inhabitants 
of  the  country,  who  considered  themselves  as  the  lawful 
possessors  of  the  soil,  and  avoided  all  correspondence  with 
the  new  comers,  whom  they  viewed  as  intruders  upon  theii 
property,!!  and  therefore  harassed  by  repeated  wars. 

*  Britain,  the  name  given  to  England,  Scotland,  and  Wales,  united 

t  Julius  Csesar  was  a  most  eloquent  writer  and  successful  warrior;  he 
assumed  the  title  of  emperor,  which  roused  the  jealousy  of  many  of  the 
principal  Roman  citizens,  by  whom  he  was  assassinated  in  the  senate-house, 
in  the  56th  year  of  his  age. 

t  The  ancient  inhabitants  of  Rome,  in  Italy. 

$  Gaul  was  the  ancient  name  of  France. 

II  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  an  ancient  English  historian,  says,  that  the  Bri- 
tish isles  were  first  peopled  1100  years  before  Christ,  and  asserts  that  Brutus, 
the  great  grandson  of  iEneas,  colonized  them  with  the  descendants  of  those 
Trojans,  who,  after  the  destruction  of  Troy,  settled  in  Greece  or  Italy. 
This  account  is,  however,  unsupported  by  any  genuine  historical  documents, 
and  is,  therefore,  now  treated  as  purely  fabulous,  though  in  less  enlightened 
ages  a  story  so  romantic  easily  passed  current. 

7 


8  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

3.  The  inland  inhabitants  are  represented  as  extremely 
numerous,  living  in  cottages  thatched  with  straw,  and 
feeding  larg«  herds  of  cattle.  They  lived  mostly  upon 
milk,  or  flesh  produced  by'  the  chase.*  What  clothes  they 
wore,  to  cover  any -, part  .of  their  bodies,  were  usually  the 
skins  of  beasts  ;  but  the  arms,  legs,  and  thighs  were  left 
naked,  and  were  usually  painted  blue.  4.  Their  hair, 
which  was  long,  flowed  down  upon  their  backs  and  shoul- 
ders ;  while  their  beards  were  kept  close  shaven,  except 
upon  the  upper  lip,  where  they  were  suffered  to  grow.  The 
dress  of  savage  nations  is  everywhere  pretty  much  the 
same,  being  calculated  rather  to  inspire  terror  than  to  excite 
love  or  respect. 

5.  As  to  their  government,  it  consisted  of  several  small 
principalities,  each  under  its  respective  leader ;  and  this 
seems  to  be  the  earliest  mode  of  dominion  with  which  man- 
kind are  acquainted,  and  is  deduced  from  the  natural  privi- 
leges of  paternal  authority.  Upon  great  and  imminent 
dangers,  a  commander-in-chief  was  chosen  by  common 
consent,  in  a  general  assembly  ;  and  to  him  was  committed 
the  conduct  of  the  general  interest,  the  power  of  making 
peace   or  leading  to  war,  and  the  administration  of  justice. 

6.  Their  forces  consisted  chiefly  of  foot,  and  yet  they 
could  bring  a  considerable  number  of  horse  into  the  field 
upon  great  occasions.  They  likewise  used  chariots  in 
battle,  which,  with  short  scythes  fastened  to  the  ends  of 
the  axletrees,  inflicted  terrible  wounds,  spreading  horror 
and  devastation  wheresoever  they  drove. f  7.  Nor  while  the 
chariots  were  thus  destroying,  were  the  warriors  who  con- 
ducted them  unemployed  :  they  darted  their  javelins  against 
the  enemy,  ran  along  the  beam,  leaped  on  the  ground,  re- 
sumed their  seat,  stopped  or  turned  their  horses  at  full  speed, 
and  sometimes  cunningly  retreated  to  draw  the  enemy  into 
confusion. 

8.  The  religion  of  the  Britons  was  one  of  the  most  con- 
siderable   parts    of  their    government;    and   the    Druids, 4 

*  The  ancient  Britons  were  so  habitually  regular  and  temperate,  that 
they  only  began  to  grow  old  at  a  hundred  and  twenty  years. — Plutarch, 
De  Placitis  Philosophies. 

t  Csesar  gives  a  most  animated  description  of  the  dexterity  of  the  Britons 
in  managing  their  war  chariots,  which  he  ascribes  to  constant  use  and  in- 
cessant exercise  ;  thereby  intimating  that  the  Britons  were  continually  en- 
gaged in  intestine  wars. — Ccesar's  Com.  lib.  iv. 

t  The  Druids  were  d:vided  into  three  different  classes ;  the  Bards,  who 
were  the  heroic  historians  and  genealogical  poets  :  the  Vates,  who  were  the 
sacred  musicians,  the  religious  poets,  and  the  pretended  prophets  ;  the  third 


THE   ANCIENT   BRITONS. 


An  Ancient  Briton. 


who  were  the  guardians  of  it,  possessed  great  authority 
among  them.  No  species  of  superstition  was  ever  more 
terrible  than  theirs :  besides  the  severe  penalties  which 
they  were  permitted  to  inflict  in  this  world,  they  inculcated 
the  eternal  transmigration  of  souls,  and  thus  extended  their 
authority  as  far  as  the  fears  of  their  votaries.*     9.  They 

class,  which  was  by  far  the  most  numerous,  and  who  performed  all  the  other 
offices  of  religion,  were  called  by  the  general  name  of  Druids,  which  appella- 
tion was  commonly  given  to  the  whole  fraternity.  Their  supreme  chief  was 
styled  the  Arch-druid.  To  the  priesthood  were  also  attached  a  number  of 
females,  called  Druidesses,  who  were  likewise  divided  into  three  classes ; 
those  of  the  first,  vowed  perpetual  virginity,  and  lived  together,  sequestered 
from  the  rest  of  the  world  :  these  were  great  pretenders  to  divination,  pro- 
phecy, and  miracles,  and  were  highly  venerated  by  the  people.  The  second 
class  consisted  of  certain  devotees,  who,  though  married,  spent  the  greater 
part  of  their  time  with  the  Druids  in  assisting  in  the  offices  of  religion,  oc- 
casionally returning  to  their  husbands.  The  third  and  lowest  class  waited 
on  the  Druids,  and  performed  the  most  servile  offices  about  the  temples,  &c. 
The  priesthood,  in  the  most  ancient  times,  was  hereditary  in  all  countries, 
and  was  particularly  so  in  the  Celtic  nations  ;  where  the  order  of  Druids  did 
not  only  descend  to  their  posterity,  but  the  office  of  priests  was  likewise  he- 
reditary in  families. 

*  Among  a  people  so  credulous  as  the  ancient  Britons,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  those  who  possessed  such  high  authority  among  them  as  the  Druids, 
practised  the  greatest  impositions;  accordingly  we  read,  that  the  Druids 
were  in  the  habit  of  borrowing  large  sums  of  the  people,  which  they  pro- 
mised to  repay  in  the  other  world — "  Druida?  pecuniam  mutuo  accipiebant 
in  posteriore  vita  reddituri." — Palricius 


10  HISTORY  OF   ENGLAND. 

sacrificed  human  victims,  which  they  burnt  in  large  wicker 
idols,  made  so  capacious  as  to  contain  a  multitude  of  per- 
sons at  once,  who  were  thus  consumed  together.  To  these 
rites,  tending  to  impress  ignorance  with  awe,  they  added 
the  austerity  of  their  manners  and  the  simplicity  of  their 
lives.  They  lived  in  woods,  caves,  and  in  hollow  trees  ;  their 
food  was  acorns  and  berries,  and  their  drink  water.  These 
arts  caused  the  people  not  only  to  respect,  but  almost  to  adore 
them.  The  most  remarkable  Druidical  monument  in  England 
is  the  circle  of  stones  on  Salisbury  plain,  called  Stonehenge ; 
it  appears  to  have  been  a  great  national  temple. 

10.  It  may  be  easily  supposed  that  the  manners  of  the 
people  took  a  tincture  from  the  discipline  of  their  teachers. 
Their  lives  were  simple,  but  they  were  marked  with  cruelty 
and  fierceness  ;  their  courage  was  great,  but  neither  dignified 
by  mercy  nor  perseverance. 


Caesar  invading  Britain. 


11.  The  Britons  had  long  remained  in  this  rude  but  in- 
dependent state,  when  Csesar,  having  overrun  Gaul  with 
his  victories,  and  willing  still  further  to  extend  his  fame, 
determined  upon  the  conquest  of  a  country  that  seemed  to 
promise  an  easy  triumph ;  accordingly,  when  the  troops 
designed  for  the  expedition  were  embarked,  he  set  sail  for 
Britain  about  midnight,  and  the  next  morning  arrived  on  the 
coast  near  Dover,  where  he  saw  the  rocks  and  cliffs  covered 
with  armed  men  to  oppose  his  landing. 


THE    ANCIENT    BRITONS.  11 

12.  The  Britons  had  chosen  Cassivelau'nus*  for  their 
commander-in-chief;  but  the  petty  princes  under  his  com- 
mand, either  desiring  his  station,  or  suspecting  his  fidelity, 
threw  off  their  allegiance.  13.  Some  of  them  fled  with 
their  forces  into  the  internal  parts  of  the  kingdom,  others 
submitted  to  Caesar,  till  at  length  Cassivelau'nus  himself, 
weakened  by  so  many  desertions,  resolved  upon  making 
what  terms  he  was  able,  while  he  yet  had  power  to  keep 
the  field.  14.  The  conditions  offered  by  Caesar,  and  ac- 
cepted by  him,  were,  that  he  should  send  to  the  continent 
double  the  number  of  hostages  at  first  demanded,  and  that 
he  should  acknowledge  subjection  to  the  Romans.  Caesar, 
however,  was  obliged  to  return  once  more  to  compel  the 
Britons  to  complete  their  stipulated  treaty. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Was  Britain  well  known  before  the  time  of  its  invasion  by  the  Romans? 
By  whom  were,  at  that  time,  the  coasts  opposite  Gaul  frequented  ? 

2.  Who  introduced  the  practice  of  agriculture  ? 

3.  4.  Describe  the  inland  inhabitants. 

5.  Of  what  did  the  government  of  the  ancient  Britons  consist  ? 

6,  7.  What  was  their  chief  force  ? 

8.  Who  were  the  ministers  of  their  religion  ? 

9.  Did  they  ever  sacrifice  human  victims  ? 

10.  What  were  the  manners  of  the  people  ? 

11.  Who  first  determined  on  the  conquest  of  Britain? 

12.  13.  Whom  did  the  Britons  choose  for  their  leader? 

14.  What  conditions  were  offered  by  Caesar,  and  accepted  by  Cassivelaunus 


SECTION  II. 


Great  Boadicea 

Thy  very  fall  perpetuates  thy  fame, 

And  Suetonius'  laurels  droop  with  shame.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  Upon  the  accession  of  Augus'tus,f  that  emperor  had 
formed  a  design  of  visiting  Britain,  but  was  diverted  from 
it  by  the  unexpected  revolt  of  the  Panno'nians.f 

Tiberius,§  wisely  judging  the  empire  already  too  exten- 
sive, made  no  attempt  upon  Britain.  From  that  time  the 
natives  began  to  improve  in  all  the  arts  which  contribute  to 
the  advancement  of  human  nature. 

2.  The  wild  extravagances  of  Calig'ula,||  by  which  he 

*  Sometimes  written  Cassibelau'nus,  or  Cassibe'lan. 
t  Augus'tus  was  the  son  of  Julius  Caesar's  niece,  adopted  by  Csesar.    He 
was  the  second  emperor  of  Rome. 
%  The  people  of  Hungary,  which  country  was  formerly  called  Pannonia 
$  The  third  emperor  of  Rome. 
U  A  Roman  emperor,  the  successor  of  Tibe'rius. 


12  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

threatened  Britain  with  an  invasion,  served  rather  to  expose 
him  to  ridicule  than  the  island  to  danger.  At  length,  the 
Romans,  in  the  reign  of  Clau'dius,*  began  to  think  seri- 
ously of  reducing  them  under  their  dominion.  The  ex- 
pedition for  this  purpose  was  conducted  in  the  beginning 
by  Plau'tius  and  other  commanders,  with  that  success  which 
usually  attended  the  Roman  arms. 

3.  Carac'tacus  was  the  first  who  seemed  willing,  by  a 
vigorous  effort,  to  rescue  his  country,  and  repel  its  insulting 
and  rapacious  conquerors.  This  rude  soldier,  though  with 
inferior  forces,  continued,  for  above  nine  years,  to  oppose 
and  harass  the  Romans  ;  till  at  length  he  was  totally  routed 
and  taken  prisoner  by  Osto'rius  Scap'ula,  who  sent  him  in 
triumph  to  Rome.  4.  While  Carac'tacus  was  being  led 
through  Rome,  he  appeared  no  way  dejected  at  the  amazing 
concourse  of  spectators  that  were  gathered  upon  this  occa- 
sion ;  but  casting  his  eyes  on  the  splendours  that  surrounded 
him,  "Alas  !"  cried  he,  "how  is  it  possible  that  a  people 
possessed  of  such  magnificence  at  home,  could  envy  me  a 
humble  cottage  in  Britain  ?"  The  emperor  was  affected 
by  the  British  hero's  misfortunes,  and  won  by  his  address. 
He  ordered  him  to  be  unchained  on  the  spot,  and  set  at 
liberty  with  the  rest  of  the  captives. 

5.  The  cruel  treatment  of  Boadi'cea,  queen  of  the  Ice'ni, 
drove  the  Britons  once  more  into  open  rebellion.  Prasat'- 
agus,  king  of  the  Ice'ni,  at  his  death  had  bequeathed  one 
half  his  dominions  to  the  Romans,  and  the  other  to  his 
daughters,  thus  hoping,  by  the  sacrifice  of  a  part,  to  secure 
the  rest  to  his  family.  But  it  had  a  different  effect ;  for 
the  Roman  procurator  immediately  took  possession  of  the 
whole :  and  when  Boadi'cea,  the  widow  of  the  deceased, 
attempted  to  remonstrate,  he  ordered  her  to  be  scourged 
like  a  slave,  and  made  slaves  of  her  daughters.  6.  These 
outrages  were  sufficient  to  produce  a  revolt  throughout  the 
island.  The  Ice'ni,  as  being  the  most  deeply  interested  in 
the  quarrel,  were  the  first  to  take  arms  ;  all  the  other  states 
soon  followed  the  example  ;  and  Boadi'cea,  a  woman  of 
great  beauty  and  masculine  spirit,  was  appointed  to  head 
the  common  forces,  which  amounted  to  two  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  fighting  men.  7.  These,  exasperated  by 
their  wrongs,  attacked  several  of  the  Roman  settlements  and 
colonies  with  success :  Suetoni'us,  who  commanded  the 
Roman  forces,  hastened  to  relieve  London,  which  was  al- 
*  The  son  of  Drufcus,  and  successor  of  Calig'ula. 


THE    ANCIENT   BRITONS,  13 

ready  a  flourishing  colony  ;  but  found,  on  his  arrival,  that 
it  would  be  requisite  for  the  general  safety  to  abandon  that 
place  to  the  merciless  fury  of  the  enemy.  8.  London  was 
soon,  therefore,  reduced  to  ashes  ;  such  of  the  inhabitants 
as  remained  in  it  were  massacred  ;  and  the  Romans,  with 
all  other  strangers,  to  the  number  of  seventy  thousand, 
were  cruelly  put  to  the  sword.  Flushed  with  these  suc- 
cesses, the  Britons  no  longer  sought  to  avoid  the  enemy, 
but  boldly  came  to  the  place  where  Suetoni'us  awaited  their 
arrival,  posted  in  a  very  advantageous  manner  with  a  body 
of  ten  thousand  men.  9.  The  battle  was  obstinate  and 
bloody.  Boadi'cea  herself  appeared  in  a  chariot  with  her 
two  daughters,  and  harangued  her  army  with  masculine  in- 
trepidity ;  but  the  irregular  and  undisciplined  bravery  of 
her  troops  was  unable  to  resist  the  cool  intrepidity  of  the 
Romans.  They  were  routed  with  great  slaughter  ;  eighty 
thousand  perished  in  the  field,  and  an  infinite  number  were 
made  prisoners ;  while  Boadi'cea  herself,  fearing  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  enraged  victor,  put  an  end  to  her  life 
by  poison. 

10.  The  general  who  firmly  established  the  dominion  of 
the  Romans  in  this  island  was  Ju'lius  Agric'ola,*  who  go- 
verned it  during  the  reigns  of  Vespa'sian,f  Ti'tus,|  and 
Domi'tian,§  and  distinguished  himself  as  well  by  his  cou- 
rage as  humanity. 

For  several  years  after  the  time  of  Agric'ola,  a  profound 
peace  seems  to  have  prevailed  in  Britain,  and  little  mention 
is  made  of  the  affairs  of  the  island  by  any  historian. 

11.  At  length,  however,  Rome,  that  had  for  ages  given 
laws  to  nations,  and  diffused  slavery  and  oppression  over 
the  known  world,  began  to  sink  under  her  own  magnifi- 
cence. Mankind,  as  if  by  a  general  consent,  rose  up  to 
vindicate  their  natural  freedom  ;  almost  every  nation  as- 
serting that  independence  of  whieh  they  had  been  so  long 
unjustly  deprived. 

12.  During  these  struggles  the  British  youth  were  fre- 
quently drawn  away  into  Gaul,  to  give  ineffectual  succour 

*  Julius  Agric'ola  was  the  father-in  law  of  Ta'citus,  the  celebrated  his 
tonan. 

t  Vespa'sian  was  the  tenth  Roman  emperor ;  he  was  valiant,  but  very 
avaricious. 

?  Ti'tus  was  the  eleventh  Roman  emperor,  the  son  of  Vespasian ;  he  was 
so  good  a  man  that  he  was  called  the  "delight  of  mankind." 

v  Domi'tian  was  the  twelfth  Roman  emperor,  and  brother  to  Ti'tns ;  he 
was  a  great  persecutor  of  the  Christians,  and  of  a  most  cruel  disposition. 

B 


14  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

to  the  various  contenders  for  the  empire,  who,  failing  in 
every  attempt,  only  left  the  name  of  tyrants  behind  them.* 
In  the  mean  time,  as  the  Roman  forces  decreased  in  Britain, 
the  Piets  and  Scotsf  continued  still  more  boldly  to  infest 
the  northern  parts  ;  and  crossing  the  friths,  which  the  Ro- 
mans could  not  guard,  in  little  wicker  boats  covered  with 
leather,  filled  the  country,  wherever  they  came,  with  slaugh- 
ter and  consternation. 

13.  The  Romans,  therefore,  finding  it  impossible  to  stand 
their  ground  in  Britain,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Valen- 
tin'ian  took  their  last  leave  of  the  island,  after  being  masters 
of  it  for  nearly  four  hundred  years,  and  now  left  the  natives 
to  the  choice  of  their  own  government  and  kings.  They 
gave  them  the  best  instructions  the  calamitous  times  would 
permit,  for  exercising  their  arms,  and  repairing  their  ran> 
parts  ;  and  helped  them  to  erect  a  new  wall  of  stone  across 
the  island,  for  they  had  not,  at  that  time,  artisans  skilful 
enough  among  themselves  to  repair  that  which  had  been 
built  by  the  emperor  Sev'erus.  The  ruins  of  this  wall,  and 
the  fortresses  by  which  the  Eoman  colonies  were  defended, 
are  among  the  most  interesting  relics  of  antiquity  in  England. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  prevented  Augustus  from  visiting  Britain  ? 
Did  Tiberius  make  an  attempt  upon  Britain  ? 

2.  What  exposed  Caligula  to  ridicule  ? 

3.  Who  was  the  first  person  that  was  willing  to  repel  the  invaders  ? 
How  long  did  Caractacus  harass  the  Romans  ? 

4.  What  remarks  did  Caractacus  make  on  witnessing  the  splendour  of 

Rome? 

5.  What  caused  the  Britons  to  rebel  ? 

Who  commanded  Boadicea  to  be  ill  treated  ? 

6.  What  were  the  consequences  ? 

7.  Who  commanded  the  Roman  forces  at  that  time  ? 

8.  What  was  the  fate  of  London  and  its  inhabitants  ? 

9  Describe  Boadicea's  conduct,  and  the  result  of  this  battle. 

10.  At  what  time  did  peace  prevail  in  Great  Britain? 

11.  What  was  the  situation  of  Rome  at  this  time  ? 

22.  What  were  the  nations  that  infested  the  northern  parts  ? 
13.  When  did  the  Romans  take  their  leave  of  Britain  ?    And  how  long  had 
they  been  masters  of  it  ? 

*  According  to  the  "Nolitia  Imperii"  no  less  than  twelve  British  corps 
of  infantry  and  cavalry  were  constantly  dispersed  in  the  distant  provinces 
of  the  empire;  while  foreign  soldiers  were,  according  to  the  invariable 
policy  of  the  Romans,  stationed  in  Britain. 

t  The  names  by  which  the  inhabitants  of  Scotland  were  at  that  time  dis- 
tinguished. "  The  Picts  (so  called  from  Piclich,  a  plunderer,  and  not  from 
Picti,  painted),  and  the  Scots  from  Scuite,  a  wanderer,  in  the  Celtic  tongue, 
were  only  different  tribes  of  Caledonians." — Dr.  Henry. 


THE    SAXONS.  15 

CHAPTER  II. 
THE  SAXONS. 
SECTION  L 

But  hark  1  what  foreign  drum  on  Thanet's  isle 

Proclaims  assistance  ?    'Tis  the  Saxon  band, 
By  Hengist  led,  and  Horaa :— see,  they  smile, 

And  greet  their  hosts  with  false,  insidious  hand.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  447.)  The  Britons,  being  now  left  to  them- 
selves, considered  their  new  liberties  as  their  greatest  cala- 
mity. The  Picts  and  Scots,  uniting  together,  began  to  look 
upon  Britain  as  their  own,  and  attacked  the  northern  wall, 
which  the  Romans  had  built  to  keep  off  their  incursions,, 
with  success.  Having  thus  opened  to  themselves  a  passage, 
they  ravaged  the  whole  country  with  impunity,  while  the 
Britons  sought  precarious  shelter  in  the  woods  and  moun- 
tains.* 

2.  It  was  in  this  deplorable  and  enfeebled  state  that  the 
Britons  had  recourse  to  the  Saxons,  a  brave  people  ;  who, 
for  their  strength  and  valour,  were  formidable  to  all  the 

Merman  nations  around  them,  and  supposed  to  be  more 
than  a  match  for  the  gods  themselves.  They  were  a  people 
restless  and  bold,  who  considered  war  as  their  trade ;  and 
were,  in  consequence,  taught  to  consider  victory  as  a  doubt- 
ful advantage,  but  courage  as  a  certain  good.  3.  A  nation., 
however,  entirely  addicted  to  war,  has  seldom  wanted  the 
imputation  of  cruelty,  as  those  terrors  which  are  opposed 
without  fear  are  often  inflicted  without  regret.  The  Saxons 
are  represented  as  a  very  cruel  nation :  but  we  must  re- 
member that  their  enemies  have  drawn  the  picture. 

4.  It  was  no  disagreeable  circumstance  to  these  ambitious 
people  to  be  invited  into  a  country  upon  which  they  had  for 
ages  been  forming  designs.  In  consequence,  therefore,  of  the 
solemn  invitation  of  Vor'tigern,  who  was  then  king  of  Bri- 
tain, they  arrived  with  fifteen  hundred  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Hen'gist  and  Hor'sa,  who   were  brothers,   and 

*  In  this  extremity,  they  made  application  for  succour  to  ^Etius,  prefect 
of  Gaul,  in  the  following  remarkable  words : — "  The  groans  of  the  wretched 
Britons,  to  the  thrice-appointed  Consul  ^Eti us. — The  barbarians  drive  us  into 
the  sea,  and  the  sea  forces  us  back  on  the  swords  of  the  barbarians,  so  that 
we  have  nothing  left  us  but  the  wretched  choice  of  being  either  dfowned 
or  murdered."  JEtius  was,  however,  too  closely  engaged  in  opposing  Attala, 
*he  renowned  king  of  the  Huns  (who,  from  the  havoc  he  made  where  vet 
his  sword  was  drawn,  was  denominated  "llie  scourge  of  God"),  to  besiov* 
-ay  .attention  .on  the  Britons. 


10  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

landed  on  the  isle  of  Than'et.*  5.  There  they  did  not 
long  remain  inactive  ;  but  being  joined  by  the  British  forces, 
they  boldly  marched  against  the  Picts  and  Scots,  who  had 
advanced  as  far  as  Lincolnshire,  and  soon  gained  a  complete 
victory  over  them.  (A.  D.  450.) 

The  Saxons,  however,  being  sensible  of  the  fertility  of 
the  country  to  which  they  came,  and  the  barrenness  of  that 
which  they  had  left  behind,  invited  over  great  numbers  ot 
their  countrymen  to  become  sharers  in  their  new  expedi- 
tion. 6.  Accordingly  they  received  a  fresh  supply  of  five 
thousand  men,  who  passed  over  in  seventeen  vessels,  and 
soon  made  a  permanent  establishment  in  the  island. 

The  British  historians,  in  order  to  account  for  the  easy 
conquest  of  their  country  by  the  Saxons,  assign  their  trea- 
chery, not  less  than  their  valour,  as  a  principal  cause. 

7.  They  allege,  that  Vor'tigern  was  artfully  inveigled 
into  a  passion  for  Rowe'na,  the  daughter  of  Hen'gist;  and, 
in  order  to  marry  her,  was  induced  to  settle  the  fertile  pro- 
vince of  Kent  upon  her  father,  from  whence  the  Saxons 
could  never  after  be  removed.t  It  is  alleged,  also,  that 
upon  the  death  of  Vor'timer,  which  happened  shortly  after 
the  victory  he  obtained  at  Eg'glesford,  Vor'tigern,  his  fa- 
ther, was  reinstated  upon  the  throne.  8.  It  is  added,  that 
this  weak  monarch,  accepting  of  a  festival  from  Hen'gist, 
three  hundred  of  his  nobility  were  treacherously  slaugh 
tered,  and  himself  detained  as  a  captive. 

After  the  death  of  Hen'gist,  several  other  German  tribes, 
allured  by  the  success  of  their  countrymen,  went  over  in 
great  numbers.  9.  A  body  of  Saxons,  under  the  conduct 
of  Ella  and  his  three  sons,  had  some  time  before  laid  the. 
foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  the  South  Saxons,  thougji 
not  without  great  opposition  and  bloodshed.  This  new 
kingdom  included  Surry,  Sussex,  and  the  New  Forest ; 
and  extended  to  the  frontiers  of  Kent. 

10.  Another  tribe  of  the  Saxons,  under  the  command  of 
Cerdic,  and  his  son  Kenric,  landed  in  the  west,  and  from 
thence  took  the   name  of  West  Saxons.      These  met  with 

*  Than'et  is  an  island  of  Kent.    Margate  and  Ramsgate  are  its  principal  towns. 

+  Our  old  English  historians  say,  that  when  the  beautiful  Rowe'na  was  fi  st 
introduced  to  Vor'tigern, "  she  presented  him,  on  her  knee,  with  a  cup  of 
wine,  saying  '  Waes  heal,  hlaford  cyning,'  or  4  Be  of  health,  Lord  King !'  to 
which  Vor'tigern,  being  instructed  in  the  custom,  answered, 4  Drinc  heal,' 
or, '  I  drink  your  health.'  " — It  is  proper  here  to  observe,  however,  that  some 
able  historians  have  declared,  that  no  authentic  documents  exist  concerning 
these  stories  of  Vor'tigern  and  Rowe'na,  or  of  the  slaughter  of  the  British 
nobles :  and  that  they  are  inclined  to  believe  the  whole  a  fiction,  or,  at  least 
very  much  exaggerated, 


THE    SAXONS.  17 

&  very  vigorous  opposition  from  the  natives,  but  being  rein- 
forced from  Germany,*  and  assisted  by  their  countrymen  on 
the  island,  they  routed  the  Britons ;  and  although  retarded  in 
their  progress  by  the  celebrated  king  Arthur,f  they  had 
strength  enough  to  keep  possession  of  the  conquest  they  had 
already  made,  Cerdic,  therefore,  with  his  son  Kenric,  es- 
tablished the  third  Saxon  kingdom  in  the  island,  namely  that 
of  the  West  Saxons,  including  the  counties  of  Hants,  Dorset, 
Wilts,  Berks,  and  the  Isle  of  Wight. 

11.  It  was  in  opposing  this  Saxon  invader  tha*  the  ce- 
lebrated prince  Arthur  acquired  his  fame.  However  un- 
successful all  his  valour  might  have  been  in  the  end,  yet 
his  name  made  so  great  a  figure  in  the  fabulous  annals  of 
the  times,  that  some  notice  must  be  taken  of  him.  12.  This 
prince  is  of  such  obscure  origin,  that  some  authors  suppose 
him  to  be  the  son  of  king  Ambro'sius,;}:  and  others  only  his 
nephew  ;  others  again  affirm  that  he  was  a  Cornish  prince, 
and  son  of  Gurlois,  king  of  that  province.  However  this 
foe,  it  is  certain  he  was  a  commander  of  great  valour ;  and, 
could  courage  alone  have  repaired  the  miserable  state  of  the 
Britons,  his  might  have  been  effectual.  13.  According  to 
the  most  authentic  historians,  he  worsted  the  Saxons  in 
twelve  successive  battles.  In  one  of  these,  namely,  that 
fought  at  Caerbadon,  in  Berks,  it  is  asserted  that  he  killed 
no  less  than  four  hundred  and  forty  of  the  enemy  with  his 
own  hand.  But  the  Saxons  Were  too  numerous  and  power- 
ful to  be  extirpated  by  the  desultory  efforts  of  single  va- 
lour ;  so  that  a  peace,  and  not  a  conquest,  was  the  im- 
mediate fruit  of  his  victories.  14.  The  enemy,  therefore, 
still  gained  ground  ;  and  this  prince,  in  the  decline  of  life, 
had  the  mortification,  from  some  domestic  troubles  of  his 
own,  to  be  a  patient  spectator  of  their  encroachments.  His 
first  wife  had  been  carried  off  by  Melnas,  king  of  Somerset- 
shire, who  detained  her  a  whole  year  at  Glas'tonbury,§ 
until  Arthur,  discovering  the  place  of  her  retreat,  advanced 
with  an  army  against  the  seducer,  and  obliged  him  to  give 
her  back.  15.  In  his  second  wife,  perhaps,  he  may  have 
been  more  fortunate,  as  we  have  no  mention  made  of  her  ; 
but  it  was  otherwise  with  his  third  consort,  who  was  car- 

*  A  large  country  of  Europe,  comprising  many  kingdoms  and  states, 
t  A  British  prince,  who  established  Christianity  at  York,  m  the  room  of 
paganism,  or  worshipping  of  idols, 
t  King  of  the  Britons. 

$  Glas'tonbury  is  a  town  in  Somersetshire,  noted  for  a  famous  abbey; 

B2 


18 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


ried  off  by  his  own  nephew,  Mordred.  This  produced  a  re 
bellion,  in  which  the  king  and  his  traitorous  kinsman,  meet- 
ing  in  battle,  slew  each  other. 


Questions  for  Examination 

1.  Who  ravaged  England  with  impunity  ? 

2.  To  whom  did  the  Britons  have  recourse  for  assistance  in  their  distress  ? 

3.  What  character  is  given  of  the  Saxons  ? 

4.  Where  did  the  Saxons  land  ? 

5.  Whom  did  the  Saxons  defeat  ? 

6.  By  what  means  can  the  easy  conquest  of  the  Britons  be  accounted  for  ? 

7.  How  did  the  Saxons  obtain  possession  of  the  province  of  Kent  ? 

8.  Were  not  many  of  the  British  nobility  treacherously  slaughtered  ? 

9.  Who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  South  Saxon  kingdom? 

10.  Who  gave  rise  to  the  name  of  the  West  Saxons  ? 

11,  12-  What  celebrated  British  prince  opposed  the  Saxons  wilh  success? 

13.  What  extraordinary  feat  of  valour  is  related  of  him  ? 

14.  What  domestic  troubles  afflicted  Arthur  in  the  decline  of  life? 


SECTION  II. 

While  undecided  yet  which  part  should  fail, 

Which  nation  rise,  the  glorious  Lord  of  all.  —  Creech. 

1.  (A.D.  575.)  In  the  mean  time,  while  the  Saxons  were 
thus  gaining  ground  in  the  west,  their  countrymen  were 
not  less  active  in  the  other  parts  of  the  island.  Adventurers 
still  continuing  to  pour  over  from  Germany,  one  body  of 
them,  under  the  command  of  Uffa,  seized  upon  the  counties 
of  Cambridge,  Suffolk,  and  Norfolk,  and  gave  their  com- 
mander the  title  of  king  of  the  East  Angles,*  which  was  the 
fourth  Saxon  kingdom  founded  in  Britain. 

2.  Another  body  of  these  adventurers  formed  a  kingdom 
under  the  title  of  East  Saxony,  or  Essex,  comprehending 
Essex,  Middlesex,  and  part  of  Hertfordshire.  This  king- 
dom, which  was  dismembered  from  that  of  Kent,  formed  the 
fifth  Saxon  principality  founded  in  Britain. 

3.  The  kingdom  of  Mercia  was  the  sixth  which  was  es- 
tablished by  these  fierce  invaders,  comprehending  all  the 
middle  counties,  from  the  banks  of  the  Severn  to  the  frontiers 
of  the  two  last-named  kingdoms. 

The  seventh  and  last  kingdom  which  they  obtained  was 
that  of  Northumberland,!  one  of  the  most  powerful  and 
extensive  of  them  all.     This  was  formed  from  the  union  of 

*  Comprehending  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Cambridge,  and  the  Isle  of  Ely. 

t  Northumberland,  that  is,  the  land  north  of  the  river  Humber,  con- 
tained s-ix  counties  in  England,  and  extended  as  far  as  the  Frith  of  Edin- 
t-.u-,:.  in  Scotland, 


THE    SAXONS.  IP 

two  smaller  Saxon  kingdoms,  the  one  called  Berni'cia,  con- 
taining the  present  county  of  Northumberland  and  the 
bishoprick  of  Durham  ;  the  subjects  of  the  other,  called 
Dei'ri,  extending  themselves  over  Lancashire  and  York- 
shire. 4.  These  kingdoms  were  united  in  the  person  of 
Ethelred,  king  of  Northumberland,  by  the  explusion  of 
Edwin,  his  brother-in-law,  from  the  kingdom  of  the  Deiri, 
and  the  seizure  of  his  dominions.  In  this  manner,  the  na- 
tives being  overpowered,  or  entirely  expelled,  seven  king- 
doms were  established  in  Britain,  which  have  since  been 
well  known  by  the  name  of  the  Saxon  heptarchy. 

5.  The  Saxons,  being  thus  well  established  in  all  the  desi- 
rable parts  of  the  island,  and  having  no  longer  the  Britons 
to  contend  with,  began  to  quarrel  among  themselves.  A 
country  divided  into  a  number  of  petty  independent  princi- 
palities, must  ever  be  subject  to  contention,  as  jealousy  and 
ambition  have  more  frequent  incentives  to  operate.  6.  After 
a  series,  therefore,  of  battles,  treasons,  and  stratagems,  all 
their  petty  principalities  fell  under  the  power  of  Egbert, 
king  of  Wessex,  whose  merits  deserved  dominion,  and 
whose  prudence  secured  his  conquests.  By  him  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  heptarchy  were  united  under  one  common 
jurisdiction  ;  but,  to  give  splendour  to  his  authority,  a  gene- 
ral council  of  the  clergy  and  laity  was  summoned  at  Win- 
chester, where  he  was  solemnly  crowned  king  of  England, 
by  which  name  the  united  kingdom  was  thenceforward 
called. 

7.  Thus,  about  four  hundred  years  after  the  first  arrival 
of  the  Saxons  in  Britain,  all  the  petty  settlements  were 
^united  into  one  great  state,  and  nothing  offered  but  prospects 
of  peace,  security,  and  increasing  refinement. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  St.  Gregory  undertook  to 
send  missionaries  among  the  Saxons,  to  convert  them  to 
Christianity.  8.  It  is  said,  that,  before  his  elevation  to  the 
papal  chair,  he  chanced  one  day  to  pass  through  the  slave- 
market  at  Rome,  and  perceiving  some  children  of  great 
beauty,  who  were  set  up  for  sale,  he  inquired  about  their 
country,  and  finding  they  were  English  pagans^he  is  said 
to  have  cried  out  in  the  Latin  language,  Non  Angli  sea 
Angel i,  forent,  si  essent  Christiani.  "  They  would  not  be 
English,  but  angels,  had  they  been  Christians."*     9.   From 

*  Inquiring  further  trie  name  of  their  province,  he  was  answered  Dein 
(a  district  of  Northumberland).  "  Deiri,"  replied  St.  Gregory,  "  that  is  good  : 
they  are  called  to  the  mercy  of  God  from  his  anger ;  that  is,  de  Ira.     Bui 


20  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

that  time  he  was  struck  with  an  ardent  desire  to  convert  that 
unenlightened  nation,  and  ordered  a  monk,  named  Augus'- 
tine,  and  others  of  the  same  fraternity,  to  undertake  the 
mission  into  Britain. 

This  pious  monk,  upon  his  first  landing  in  the  Isle  of 
Thanet,  sent  one  of  his  interpreters  to  Eth'elbert,  the  Kent- 
ish king,  declaring  he  was  come  from  Rome  with  offers  of 
eternal  salvation.  10.  The  king  immediately  ordered  them 
to  be  furnished  with  all  necessaries,  and  even  visited  them, 
though  without  declaring  himself  as  yet  in  their  favour. 
Augus'tine,  however,  encouraged  by  this  favourable  recep- 
tion, and  now  seeing  a  prospect  of  success,  proceeded  with 
redoubled  zeal  to  preach  the  gospel.  11.  The  king  openly 
espoused  the  Christian  religion  :  while  his  example  wrought 
so  successfully  on  his  subjects,  that  numbers  of  them  came 
voluntarily  to  be  baptized,  the  missionary  loudly  declaring 
against  any  coercive  means  towards  their  conversion.  In 
this  manner  the  other  kingdoms,  one  after  the  other,  em- 
braced the  faith  :  and  England  was  soon  as  famous  for  its 
superstition,  as  it  had  once  been  for  its  averseness  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

The  Saxon  ecclesiastics  were  in  general  men  of  great  piety 
and  learning.  The  most  celebrated  among  them  was  the 
venerable  Bede,  born  A.  D.  673,  died  A.  D.  735,  whose  his- 
tory of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church  was  so  highly  valued  by 
King  Alfred,  that  he  translated  it  from  the  Latin  language,  in 
which  it  was  written,  into  the  Saxon. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Whence  did  adventurers  continue  to  come  ?  , 
What  counties  formed  the  fourth  kingdom  of  the  Saxons  ? 

2.  What  counties  did  the  fifth  Saxon  kingdom  comprehend  ? 

3.  What  was  the  sixth  kingdom  called  ? 

What  was  the  seventh  kingdom  ?  and  how  was  it  formed  ? 

4.  What  was  the  general  name  given  to  the  seven  Saxon  kingdoms  ? 

5.  What  happened  to  the  Saxons  after  the  Britons  were  subdued  ? 

6.  Under  whose  power  did  all  the  petty  principalities  fall  ? 

7.  At  about  what  period  were  missionaries  sent  among  the  Saxons  to  con- 

vert them  to  Christianity  ? 
8,9.  What  was  the  circumstance  which  occasioned  the  sending  missionaries 
into  Britain  ? 

10.  How  were  the  missionaries  received  by  the  Saxon  monarch  ? 

11.  What  effect  was  produced  by  the  king's  example  ? 

how  is  the  king  of  that  province  named  ?"  He  was  told  jElla,  or  Ali.a. 
"  Alleluiah !"  cried  he,  "  we  must  endeavour  that  the  praises  of  God  be  sung 
in  this  country  " — Hume.  c 


INVASION    OF    THE    DANES.  21 

^  CHAPTER  III. 

THE  INVASION  OF  THE  DANES. 

FROM  THE  END  OF  THE  HEPTARCHY  TO  THE  REIGN  OF  WILLIAM 
THE  CONQUEROR. 

SECTION  I. 

The  Danes !  the  Danes  !  the  young  and  aged  cry. 
And  mothers  press  their  infants  as  they  fly.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  832.)  Peace  and  unanimity  had  been  scarcely- 
established  in  England,  when  a  mighty  swarm  of  those  na- 
tions called  Danes*  and  Northmen,  subsequently  corrupted 
into  Normen  or  Normans,  who  had  possessed  the  country 
bordering  on  the  Baltic,t  began  to  level  their  fury  against 
England.  A  small  body  of  them  at  first  landed  on  the  coasts, 
with  a  view  to  learn  the  state  of  the  country  ;  and  havmg 
committed  some  depredations,  fled  to  their  ships  for  safety. 
2.  About  seven  years  after  this  first  attempt,  they  made  a 
descent  upon  the  kingdom  of  Northumberland,  where  they 
pillaged  a  monastery,  but  their  fleet  being  shattered  by  a 
storm,  they  were  defeated  by  the  inhabitants  and  put  to  the 
sword.  It  was  not  till  about  five  years  after  the  accession 
of  Egbert,;}:  that  their  invasions  became  truly  formidable, 
From  that  time  they  continued  with  unceasing  ferocity,  until 
the  whole  kingdom  was  reduced  to  a  state  of  the  most  dis- 
tressing bondage. § 

3.  Though  often  repulsed,  they  always  obtained  their 
end  of  spoiling  the  country,  and  carrying  the  plunder  away. 
It  was  their  method  to  avoid  coming,  if  possible,  to  a  general 
engagement ;  but,  scattering  themselves  over  the  face  of  the 
country,  they  carried  away  indiscriminately,  as  well  the 
inhabitants  themselves,  as  all  their  moveable  possessions. 

4.  At  length,  however,  they  resolved  upon  making  a  set- 

*  The  Danes  were  inhabitants  of  Denmark,  a  kingdom  in  the  north  of 
Europe. 

t  The  Baltic  is  an  inland  sea  in  the  north  of  Europe. 

X  Egbert  was  the  first  sole  monarch  in  England. 

$  Nothing  could  be  more  dreadful  than  the  manner  in  which  these  fierce 
barbarians  carried  on  their  incursions;  they  spared  neither  age  nor  sex,  and 
each  commander  urged  the  soldiers  to  inhumanity.  One  of  their  celebratea 
chieftains,  named  Oliver,  gained,  from  his  dislike  to  the  favourite  amusement 
of  his  soldiers  (that  of  tossing  children  on  the  points  of  their  spears),  the  con 
teraptuous  surname  of  Burnakal,  or  "The  Preserver  of  Children." 


22  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

tlement  in  the  country  ;  and  landing  on  the  Isle  of  Thanet, 
stationed  themselves  there.  In  this  place  they  kept  their 
ground,  notwithstanding  a  bloody  victory  gained  over  them 
by  Eth'elwolf.  The  reign  of  Eth'elbald,  his  successor,  was 
of  no  long  continuance  ;  however,  in  a  short  space,  he 
crowded  together  a  number  of  vices  sufficient  to  render  his 
name  odious  to  posterity. 

5.  This  prince  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Eth'elred,  a 
brave  commander,  but  whose  valour  was  insufficient  to  re- 
press the  Danish  incursions.  In  these  exploits  he  was 
always  assisted  by  his  younger  brother,  Alfred,  afterwards 
surnamed  the  Great,  who  sacrificed  all  private  resentment  to 
the  public  good,  having  been  deprived  by  the  king  of  a  large 
patrimony.  6.  It  was  during  Eth'elred's  reign  that  the 
Danes,  penetrating  into  Mercia,  took  up  their  winter-quarters 
at  Nottingham  ;  from  whence  the  king  attempting  to  dislodge 
them,  received  a  wound  in  the  battle,  of  which  he  died, 
leaving  his  brother  Alfred  the  inheritance  of  a  kingdom  that 
was  now  reduced  to  the  brink  of  ruin. 

7.  The  Danes  had  already  subdued  Northumberland  and 
East  Anglia,  and  had  penetrated  into  the  very  heart  of  Wes- 
sex.  The  Mercians  were  united  against  Alfred  ;  the  de- 
pendence upon  the  other  provinces  of  the  empire  was  but 
precarious  :  the  lands  lay  uncultivated,  through  fear  of  con- 
tinual incursions  ;  and  all  the  churches  and  monasteries 
were  burnt  to  the  ground.  In  this  terrible  situation  of  affairs 
nothing  appeared  but  objects  of  terror,  and  every  hope  was 
lost  in  despair.  8.  The  wisdom  and  virtues  of  one  man 
alone  were  found  sufficient  to  bring  back  happiness,  security 
and  order ;  and  all  the  calamities  of  the  times  found  redress 
from  Alfred. 

9.  This  prince  seemed  born  not  only  to  defend  his  bleed 
ing  country,  but  even  to  adorn  humanity.  He  had  given 
very  early  instances  of  those  great  virtues  which  afterwards 
gave  splendour  to  his  reign  ;  and  was  anointed  by  pope  Leo 
as  future  king,  when  he  was  sent  by  his  father,  for  his 
education,  to  Rome.  On  his  return  from  thence,  he  became 
every  day  more  the  object  of  his  father's  fond  affections ; 
and  that  perhaps  was  the  reason  why  his  education  was  at 
first  neglected.  He  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty  before 
he  was  made  acquainted  with  the  lowest  elements  of  litera- 
ture ;  but  hearing  some  Saxon  poems  read,  which  recounted 
the  praise  of  heroes,  his  whole  mind  was  roused,  not  only 
to  obtain  a  similitude  of  glory,  but  also  to  be  able  to  transmit 


INVASION   OF   THE    DANES.  23 

that  glory  to  posterity.  10.  Encouraged  by  the  queen  his 
mother,  and  assisted  by  a  penetrating  genius,  he  soon  learned 
to  read  these  compositions,  and  proceed  from  thence  to  a 
knowledge  of  Latin  authors,  who  directed  his  taste,  and  rec- 
tified his  ambition. 

He  was  scarcely  come  to  the  throne  when  he  was  obliged 
to  oppose  the  Danes,  who  had  seized  Wilton,*  and  were  ex- 
ercising their  usual  ravages  on  the  country  around.  11.  He 
marched  against  them  with  the  few  troops  he  could  assemble 
on  a  sudden,  and  a  desperate  battle  was  fought,  to  the  disad- 
vantage of  the  English.  But  it  was  not  in  the  power  of 
misfortune  to  abate  the  king's  diligence,  though  it  repressed 
his  power  to  do  good.  He  was  in  a  little  time  enabled  to 
hazard  another  engagement ;  so  that  the  enemy,  dreading 
his  courage  and  activity,  proposed  terms  of  peace,  which  he 
did  not  think  proper  to  refuse.  12.  They,  by  this  treaty, 
agreed  to  relinquish  the  kingdom  ;  but  instead  of  complying 
with  their  engagements,  they  only  removed  from  one  place 
to  another,  burning  and  destroying  wherever  they  came. 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.        a.  D. 

Gregory  IV ,  823 

SergiusII 844 

Leo  IV. 847 

Benedict  III 855 

Nicholas  1 858 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
Michael  II 821 


A.D. 

Theophilus  1 829 

Michael  III 842 

Emperors  of  the  West, 
and  Kings  of  France. 

Lewis  1 814 

Lotharius 840 

LewisII 855 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Kings  of  Scotland. 

AD. 

CongallusIII 824 

Dongallus 829 

Alpinus 834 

KennethusII 849 

Donaldus  V 859 

Constantius  II 865 


In  the  reign  of  Egbert :  Earls  Osmond  and  Dudda.  Bishops  Wigfurth  and 
Herefurth. — In  the  reigns  of  Ethelbald  and  Ethelbert :  Swithun,  bishop  of 
Winchester.  Osryck,  earl  of  Hampton.  Lambert  and  Ethelhard,  archbishops 
of  Canterbury. — In  the  reign  of  Ethelred:  Osbricht  and  Ella,  Northumbrian 
princes,  who  were  killed  while  bravely  opposing  the  Danes. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  enemies  disturbed  the  tranquillity  which  England  enjoyed  after  the 

union  of  the  seven  Saxon  kingdoms  ? 
What  mode  of  wa.fare  was  practised  by  the  Danes  1 

2.  What  loss  did  the  Danes  suffer  by  sea  ? 

3.  What  did  the  Danes  carry  away  ? 

4.  Where  did  they  at  length  establish  themselves  ? 

5.  Who  succeeded  Ethelbald  ? 

By  whom  was  Ethelred  assisted  ? 

*  Wilton  is  the  county  town  of  Wiltshire,  though  Salisbury  is  now  its  pnn 
cipal  plaee 


24  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

6.  What  was  the  cause  of  Ethelred's  death  ?  and  to  whom  did  he  leave  the 

kingdom  ? 
7,8  What  was  the  cause  of  the  lands  remaining  uncultivated  ? 
9, 10.  What  is  related  of  Alfred's  youth  and  early  disposition  ? 

11.  What  was  the  success  of  this  prince  against  the  Danes  ? 

12.  In  what  manner  did  the  Danes  observe  their  treaty  with  Alfred  ? 


SECTION  II. 

.Replete  with  soul  the  monarch  stood  alone. 
And  built,  on  freedom's  basis,  England's  throne; 
A  legislator,  parent,  warrior,  sage. 
He  died,  the  light  of  a  benighted  age.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  877.)  Alfred,  thus  opposed  to  an  enemy  whom 
no  stationary  force  could  resist,  and  no  treaty  could  bind, 
found  himself  unable  to  repel  the  efforts  of  those  ravagers 
who  from  all  quarters  invaded  him.  New  swarms  of  the 
enemy  arrived  every  year  upon  the  coast,  and  fresh  inva- 
sions were  still  projected.  Some  of  his  subjects,  therefore, 
left  their  country,  and  retired  into  Wales,*  or  fled  to  the 
continent.  Others  submitted  to  the  conqueror,  and  purchased 
their  lives  by  their  freedom.  2.  In  this  universal  defection, 
Alfred  vainly  attempted  to  remind  them  of  the  duty  they 
owed  their  country  and  their  king ;  but,  finding  his  remon- 
strances ineffectual,  he  was  obliged  to  give  way  to  the 
wretched  necessity  of  the  times.  Accordingly,  relinquish- 
ing the  ensigns  of  his  dignity,  and  dismissing  his  servants, 
he  dressed  himself  in  the  habit  of  a  peasant,  and  lived  for 
some  time  in  the  house  of  a  herdsman,  who  had  been  in- 
trusted with  the  care  of  his  cattle.  3.  In  this  manner,  though 
abandoned  by  the  world,  and  fearing  an  enemy  in  every 
quarter,  still  he  resolved  to  continue  in  his  country,  to  catch 
the  slightest  occasion  for  bringing  it  relief.  In  his  solitary 
retreat,  which  was  in  the  county  of  Somerset,  at  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  rivers  Parret  and  Thone,  he  amused  himself  with 
music,  and  supported  his  humble  lot  with  the  hopes  of  bet- 
ter fortune.  4.  It  is  said,  that  one  day,  being  commanded 
by  the  herdsman's  wife,  who  was  ignorant  of  his  quality,  to 
take  care  of  some  cakes  which  were  baking  by  the  fire,  he 
happened  to  let  them  burn,  on  which  she  severely  upbraided 
him  for  neglect. 

Previous  to  his  retirement,  Alfred  had  concerted  measures 
for  assembling  a  few  trusty  friends,  whenever  an  opportunity 
should  offer  of  annoying  the  enemy,  who  were  in  possession 
of  the  whole  country.     5.  This  chosen  band,  still  faithful 

"  Wales  consists  of  twelve  counties  on  the  west  of  England,  annexed  to 
it  by  Edward  the  First. 


ALFRED    THE    GREAT.  25 

to  their  monarch,  took  shelter  in  the  forests  and  marshes  of 
Somerset,  and  from  thence  made  occasional  irruptions  upon 
straggling  parties  of  the  enemy.  Their  success  in  this  rapa- 
cious and  dreary  method  of  living  encouraged  many  more 
to  join  their  society,  till  at  length,  sufficiently  augmented, 
they  repaired  to  their  monarch,  who  had  by  Mat  time  been 
reduced  by  famine  to  the  last  extremity.* 

6.  Meanwhile  Ubba,  the  chief  of  the  Danish  commanders, 
carried  terror  over  the  whole  land,  and  now  ravaged  the 
country  of  Wales  without  opposition.  The  only  place 
where  he  found  resistance  was  in  his  return  from  the  castle 
of  Kenwith,  into  which  the  Earl  of  Devonshire  had  retired 
with  a  small  body  of  troops.  7.  This  gallant  soldier,  find- 
ing himself  unable  to  sustain  the  siege,  and  knowing  the 
danger  of  surrendering  to  a  perfidious  enemy,  was  resolved, 
by  one  desperate  effort,  to  sally  out  and  force  his  way 
through  the  besiegers,  sword  in  hand.  The  proposal  was 
embraced  by  all  his  followers  :  while  the  Danes,  secure  in 
their  numbers,  and  in  their  contempt  of  the  enemy,  were 
not  only  routed  with  great  slaughter,  but  Ubba,  their  gene- 
ral, was  slain. 

8.  This  victory  once  more  restored  courage  to  the  dispi- 
rited Saxons  ;  and  Alfred,  taking  advantage  of  their  favour- 

*  The  life  of  Alfred  is  full  of  the  most  interesting  events.  Among  nu- 
merous anecdotes  related  of  him  by  the  old  English  historians,  the  follow- 
ing we  think  worthy  of  a  place  in  this  work,  as  it  affords  a  striking  illustra- 
tion of  his  benevolence,  and  is  a  proof  of  the  privations  he,  in  common  with 
his  trusty  adherents,  underwent  during  their  seclusion  in  Somersetshire: — "  It 
happened  one  day  during  the  winter,  which  proved  uncommonly  severe, 
that  he  had  sent  all  his  attendants  out  to  endeavour  to  procure  fish,  or  some 
kind  of  provisions ;  so  difficult  was  the  enterprise  esteemed,  that  the  king 
and  queen  only  were  excused  from  the  employment.  When  they  were 
gone,  the  king,  as  was  his  custom,  whenever  he  had  an  opportunity,  took  a 
book,  and  began  reading,  whilst  Elswitha  was  employed  in  her  domestic  con- 
cerns ;  they  had  not  long  continued  thus  engaged,  before  a  poor  pilgrim,  ac- 
cidentally passing  that  way,  knocked  at  the  gate,  and  begged  they  would 
give  him  something  to  eat.  The  humane  king  called  Elswitha,  and  desired 
her  to  give  the  poor  man  part  of  what  provision  there  was  in  the  fort :  the 
queen,  finding  only  one  loaf,  brought  it  to  Alfred,  to  show  how  slender  their 
store  was,  at  the  same  time  representing  the  distress  the  family  would  labour 
under,  should  they  return  from  their  foraging  unsuccessful.  The  king,  not 
deterred  by  this  scanty  view  from  his  charitable  purpose,  but  rather  inter- 
nally rejoicing  at  this  trial  of  his  humanity,  cheerfully  gave  the  poor  Chris- 
tian one-half  of  the  loaf;  consoling  the  queen  with  this  religious  reflection, 
1  That  He  who  could  feed  five  thousand  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes, 
could  make  (if  it  so  pleased  him)  that  half  of  the  loaf  suffice  for  more  than 
their  necessities.'  When  the  traveller  departed,  the  king  returned  to  hi> 
reading,  and  felt  that  satisfaction  which  most  surely  results  from  a  beneficeni 
action.  Nor  was  it  long  unrewarded,  for  his  companions  returned  with  so 
great  a  quantity  of  provisions,  that  they  were  not  exposed  to  any  similar  in- 
conveniences during  their  seclusion." 

c 


26  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

able  disposition,  prepared  to  animate  them  to  a  vigorous 
exertion  of  their  superiority.  He  soon,  therefore,  apprized 
them  of  the  place  of  his  retreat,  and  instructed  them  to  be 
ready  with  all  their  strength  at  a  minute's  warning.  9.  But 
still  none  was  found  who  would  undertake  to  give  intelli- 
gence of  the  forces  and  posture  of  the  enemy.  Not  know- 
ing, therefore,  a  person  in  whom  he  could  confide,  he  un- 
dertook this  dangerous  task  himself.  In  the  simple  dress 
of  a  shepherd,  with  his  harp  in  his  hand,  he  entered  the 
Danish  camp,  tried  all  his  musical  arts  to  please,  and  was 
so  much  admired,  that  he  was  brought  even  into  the  presence 
of  Guthrum,  the  Danish  prince,  with  whom  he  remained 
some  days.  10.  He  there  remarked  the  supine  security  of 
the  Danes,  their  contempt  of  the  English,  their  negligence 
in  foraging  and  plundering,  and  their  dissolute  wasting  of 
such  ill-gotten  booty.  Having  made  his  observations,  he 
returned  to  his  retreat;  and,  detaching  proper  emissaries 
among  his  subjects,  appointed  them  to  meet  him  in  the 
forest  of  Selwood,  a  summons  which  they  gladly  obeyed. 

11.  It  was  against  the  most  unguarded  quarter  of  the 
enemy  that  Alfred  made  his  most  violent  attack ;  while  the 
Danes,  surprised  to  behold  an  army  of  English,  whom  they 
considered  as  totally  subdued,  made  but  a  faint  resistance. 
Notwithstanding  the  superiority  of  their  numbers,  they 
were  routed  with  great  slaughter ;  and  though  such  as  es- 
caped fled  for  refuge  into  a  fortified  camp  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, being  unprovided  for  a  siege,  in  less  than  a  fortnight 
they  were  compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion.  12.  By 
the  conqueror's  permission,  those  who  did  not  choose  to 
embrace  Christianity  embarked  for  Flanders,*  under  the 
command  of  one  of  their  generals,  called  Hastings.  Guth- 
rum, their  prince,  became  a  convert,  with  thirty  of  his  no- 
bles, and  the  king  himself  answered  for  him  at  the  font. 

13.  Alfred  had  now  attained  the  meridian  of  glory ;  he 
possessed  a  greater  extent  of  territory  than  had  ever  been 
enjoyed  by  any  of  his  predecessors ;  the  kings  of  Wales 
did  him  homage  for  their  possessions,  the  Northumbrians! 
received  a  king  of  his  appointing,  and  no  enemy  appeared 
to  give  him  the  least  apprehensions,  or  excite  an  alarm. 
14.  In  this  state  of  prosperity  and  profound  tranquillity, 
which  lasted  for  twelve  years,  Alfred  was  diligently  em- 
ployed in  cultivating  the  arts  of  peace,  and  in  repairing  the 
damages  which  the  kingdom  had  sustained  by  war. 
*  Now  a  DGrt  of  the  Netherlands.        t  The  inhabitants  of  Northumberland. 


ALFRED    THE    GREAT.  27 

15.  His  care  was  to  polish  the  country  by  arts,  as  he 
had  protected  it  by  arms  ;  and  he  is  said  to  have  drawn  up 
a  body  of  laws.*  His  care  for  the  encouragement  of  learn- 
ing did  not  a  little  tend  to  improve  the  morals  and  restrain 
the  barbarous  habits  of  the  people.  When  he  came  to  the 
throne,  he  found  the  English  sunk  into  the  grossest  igno- 
rance and  barbarism,  proceeding  from  the  continual  dis- 
orders of  the  government,  and  from  the  ravages  of  the 
Danes.  16.  He  himself  complains,  that,  on  his  accession, 
he  knew  not  one  person  south  of  the  Thames,  who  could 
so  much  as  interpret  the  Latin  service. f  To  remedy  this 
deficiency,  he  invited  over  the  most  celebrated  scholars 
from  all  parts  of  Europe ;  he  founded,  or  at  least  re-esta- 
blished the  university  of  Oxford,  and  endowed  it  with  many 
privileges  ;  and  he  gave,  in  his  own  example,  the  strongest 
incentives  to  study.  17.  He  usually  divided  his  time  into 
three  equal  portions :  one  was  given  to  sleep,  and  the  re- 
fection of  his  body,  by  diet  and  exercise ;  another  to  the 
despatch  of  business ;  and  the  third  to  study  and  devotion.}: 
He  made  a  considerable  progress  in  the  different  studies  of 
grammar,  rhetoric,  philosophy,  architecture,  and  geometry. 
He  was  an  excellent  historian ;  he  understood  music ;  he 
was  acknowledged  to  be  the  best  Saxon  poet  of  the  age, 
and  left  many  works  behind  him,  some  of  which  remain  to 
this  day.     18.  To  give  a  character  of  this  prince,  would 

*  Alfred  established  a  regular  militia  throughout  England,  and  raised  a 
considerable  naval  force,  by  which  means  he  was  enabled  to  repel  the  fu 
ture  incursions  of  the  Danes.  He  afterwards  established  a  reg  dar  police , 
dividing  the  kingdom  into  counties,  and  the  counties  into  hun.lreds  and 
tithings.  So  well  regulated  was  the  police  which  he  established,  that  it  is 
eaid  he  had  golden  bracelets  hung  up  near  the  highways,  which  no  robber 
dared  to  touch.  Yet  he  never  deviated  from  the  nicest  regard  to  the  liberty 
of  his  people ;  and  there  is  a  remarkable  sentiment  preserved  in  his  will, 
namely,  that  "  It  is  just  the  English  should  for  ever  remain  as  free  as  their 
own  thoughts.'" 

t  So  little,  indeed,  was  learning  attended  to  by  the  great,  that  Asser,  the 
biographer  of  Alfred,  mentions  with  astonishment,  that  the  king  taught  his 
youngest  son,  Ethelward,  to  read,  before  he  made  him  acquainted  with 
hunting. 

I  The  piety  of  Alfred  was  as  conspicuous  as  his  prowess,  and  in  those 
days  of  ignorance,  he  enlightened  by  his  pen  no  less  than  by  his  example, 
the  people  over  whom  he  swayed  the  sceptre.  One  of  his  literary  labours 
was  the  rendering  the  Holy  Gospels  into  the  Saxon  tongue,  from  which  we 
extract  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  insert  it  here  as  a  specimen  of  the  language 
spoken  by  the  English  at  that  period : 

"Feeder  ure  thu  the  earth  on  heafenum,  si  thin  mama  gehalgod,  to  be  cuith* 
thin  rice,  Gewurthe  hin  willa  on  earthen  svva  swa  on  heafenum,  urne  ge 
da?gwanlican  hlaf  syle  us  to  daeg ;  and  forgyf  us  ure  gyltas,  swa  swa  we 
forgivath  urum  gyltendum,  and  ne  geladde  thu  us  on  consenting  ac  alyse  us 
<if  yfle."  {Si  it  swa.i — Medullas  Historic  Anglkan<& 


28 


HISTORY    0*    ENGLAND. 


be  to  sum  up  those  qualities  which  constitute  perfection 
Even  virtues  seemingly  opposite  were  happily  blended  in 
his  disposition;  persevering,  yet  flexible ;  moderate,  yet 
enterprising;  just,  yet  merciful;  stern  in  command,  yet 
gentle  in  conversation.  Nature  also,  as  if  desirous  that 
such  admirable  qualities  of  mind  should  be  set  off  to  the 
greatest  advantage,  had  bestowed  on  him  all  bodily  accom- 
plishments, vigour,  dignity,  and  an  engaging  open  counte- 
nance. 19.  He  died  at  Oxford,  on  the  25th  of  October, 
900,  and  was  buried  at  Winchester. 


CONTEMPORARY   SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.         A.D. 

John  VIII 872 

Martin  II 882 

Adrian  III 884 

Stephen  VI 885 

Formosus 891 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
Basilius  1 867 


A.D. 

Leo  VI 886 

Emperors  of  the  West, 
and  Kings  of  France 

Lewis  II 855 

Charles  I..... 873 

Charles  II.... 880 

Arnold 888 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Lewis  III . 


Kings  of  Scotland. 

Constantino  II 863 

Ethus 878 

Gregory 880 

Donaldus  VI 893 


Oddune,  earl  of  Devon,  who  killed  Hubba  the  Dane,  and  took  the  famous 
Reafen,  or  enchanted  standard.  Ulf'redus,  Trelotegaldus,  Celnorth,  Ethelred, 
and  Plerumbus,  were  successively  archbishops  of  Canterbury  in  this  reign. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

What  effect  had  the  continual  ravages  of  the  Danes  upon  the  English  ? 

3.  How  did  Alfred  act  in  this  emergency  ? 

What  anecdote  is  related  of  Alfred  during  his  concealment? 

How  d:  i  those  who  still  remained  faithful  to  Alfred  conduct  themselves? 

What  Denevolent  act  is  related  of  this  monarch  ?    (See  the  Note.) 

What  desperate  effort  did  the  earl  of  Devonshire  resolve  on?    And  what 

was  the  consequence? 
What  was  the  advantage  gained  by  Alfred's  courage  ? 
By  whatjstratagem  did  Alfred  get  intelligence  of  the  enemy's  situation  ? 
11.  What  observations  did  he  make  during  his  stay  in  the  Danish  camp? 
What  became  of  the  Danes  after  their  defeat? 
What  kings  paid  homage  to  Alfred  ? 
15,  16.  How  was  Alfred  employed  during  the  peace? 
For  what  purpose  did  Alfred  divide  his  time  into  three  equal  portions 

And  what  were  his  accomplishments  ? 
What  is  the  general  character  given  of  Alfred  ? 
Where  did  Alfred  die,  and  at  what  place  was  he  buried  ? 


A 


EBWt.  2$ 


SECTION  III. 


Priest-ridden  by  a  man 

Of  an  unbounded  stomach,  ever  ranking 

Himself  with  princes.  —  Shakspcare. 


1.  (A.D.  901.)  His  second  son,  Edward,*  succeeded 
liim  on  the  throne.  To  him  succeeded  Athelstan,  his  natural 
son,  the  illegitimacy  of  his  birth  not  being  then  deemed  a 
sufficient  obstacle  to  his  inheriting  the  crown.  He  died  at 
Gloucester,  after  a  reign  of  sixteen  years,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother  Edmund,  who,  like  the  rest  of  his  predeces- 
sors, met  with  disturbance  from  the  Northumbrians  on  his 
accession  to  the  throne ;  but  his  activity  soon  defeated  their 
attempts.  2.  The  resentment  this  monarch  bore  to  men  of 
an  abandoned  way  of  u  'mg  was  the  cause  of  his  death. 
He  was  killed  by  Leolfl,  a  robber,  at  a  feast,  where  this 
villain  had  the  insolence  to  u  +rude  into  the  king's  presence. 
His  brother,  Edred,  was  appointed  to  succeed  him;  and, 
like  his  predecessors,  this  monarch  found  himself  at  the 
head  of  a  rebellious  and  refractory  people.  3.  Edred  im- 
plicitly submitted  to  the  directions  of  Dunstan  the  monk, 
both  in  church  and  state  ;  and  the  kingdom  was  in  a  fair 
way  of  being  turned  into  a  papal  province  by  this  zealous 
ecclesiastic  ;  but  he  was  checked,  in  the  midst  of  his  career, 
by  the  death  of  the  king,  who  died  of  a  quinsy,  in  the  tenth 
year  of  his  reign. — A.  D.  955. 

4.  Edwy,  his  nephew,  who  ascended  the  throne,  his  own 
sons  being  yet  unfit  to  govern,  was  a  prince  of  great  per- 
sonal accomplishments,  and  of  a  martial  disposition.  But 
he  was  now  come  to  the  government  of  a  kingdom,  in  which 
he  had  an  enemy  to  contend  with,  against  whom  all  military 
virtues  could  be  of  little  service.  5.  Dunstan,  who  had 
governed  during  the  former  reign,  was  resolved  to  remit 
nothing  of  his  authority  in  this ;  and  Edwy,  immediately 
upon  his  accession,  found  himself  involved  in  a  quarrel  with 
the  monks  ;  whose  rage  neither  his  accomplishments  nor 
his  virtues  could  mitigate. 

6.  Among  other  instances  of  their  cruelty,  the  following 
is  recorded  : — There  was  a  lady  of  the  royal  blood,  named 
Elgiva,  whose  beauty  had  made  a  strong  impression  upon 

*  Surnamed  Edward  the  Elder,  from  being  the  first  of  that  name  who  sat 
on  the  throne  of  England.  He  obtained  many  victories  over  the  Northum 
brian  rebels,  built  several  castles,  and  fortified  different  cities.  He  also 
founded  the  University  of  Cambridge,  in  915.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
nearly  equal  to  his  father  in  military  courage,  but  greatly  inferior  to  him  in 
mental  accomplishments.    He  reigned  24  years. 

c  2 


30 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Dunstan  separating  Ed wy  and  Elgiva. 


the  young  monarch's  heart.  He  had  even  ventured  to 
marry  her  contrary  to  the  advice  of  his  counsellors,  as  she 
was  within  the  degrees  of  affinity  prohibited  by  the  canon 
law.  7.  On  the  day  of  his  coronation,  while  his  nobility 
were  giving  a  loose  to  the  more  noisy  pleasures  of  wine 
and  festivity  in  the  great  hall,  Edwy  retired  to  his  wife's 
apartments,  where,  in  company  with  her  mother,  he  enjoyed 
the  more  pleasing  satisfaction  of  her  conversation.  Dun- 
stan no  sooner  perceived  his  absence,  than  conjecturing  the 
reason,  he  rushed  furiously  into  the  apartment,  and  upbraid- 
ing him  with  all  the  bitterness  of  ecclesiastical  rancour, 
dragged  him  forth  in  the  most  outrageous  manner. 

8.  Dunstan,  it  seems,  was  not  without  his  enemies,  for 
the  king  was  advised  to  punish  this  insult  by  bringing  him 
to  account  for  the  money  with  which  he  had  been  intrusted 
during  the  last  reign.  This  account  the  haughty  monk  re- 
fused to  give  in  ;  wherefore  he  was  deprived  of  all  the  ec- 
clesiastical and  civil  emoluments  of  which  he  had  been  in 
possession,  and  banished  the  kingdom.  9.  His  exile  only 
served  to  increase  the  reputation  of  his  sanctity  with  the 
people.  Among  the  rest  Odo,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,* 
was  so  far  transported  with  the  spirit  of  party,  that  he  pro- 
nounced a  divorce  between  Edwy  and  Elgiva.  The  king 
was  unable  to  resist  the  indignation  of  the  church,  and  con 
"en ted  to  surrender  his  beautiful  wife  to  its  fury.     Accord 

*  An  ancient  city  of  Kent,  of  which  county  it  is  the  capital. 


EDGAR.  31 

ingly,  Odo  sent  into  the  palace  a  party  of  soldiers,  who 
seized  the  queen,  and,  by  his  orders,  branded  her  ort  the 
face  with  a  hot  iron.  10.  Not  contented  with  this  cruel 
vengeance,  they  carried  her  by  force  into  Ireland,  and  there 
commanded  her  to  remain  in  perpetual  exile.  This  injunc- 
tion, however,  was  too  distressing  for  that  faithful  woman 
to  comply  with ;  for,  being  cured  of  her  wound,  and  having 
obliterated  the  marks  which  had  been  made  to  deface  her 
beauty,  she  once  more  ventured  to  return  to  the  king,  whom 
she  still  regarded  as  her  husband.  But  misfortune  continued 
to  pursue  her.  11.  She  was  taken  prisoner  by  a  party 
whom  the  archbishop  had  appointed  to  observe  her  con- 
duct, and  was  put  to  death  in  a  most  cruel  manner :  the 
sinews  of  her  limbs  being  cut,  and  her  body  mangled,  she 
was  thus  left  to  expire  in  the  most  cruel  agony.  In  the 
mean  time  a  secret  revolt  against  Edwy  became  almost  ge- 
neral ;  and  Dunstan  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  party. 
12.  The  malecontents  at  last  proceeded  to  open  rebellion  ; 
and  having  placed  Edgar,  the  king's  youngest  brother,  a 
boy  of  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  at  their  head,  they  soon 
put  him  in  possession  of  all  the  northern  parts  of  the  king- 
dom. Edwy's  power,  and  the  number  of  his  adherents, 
every  day  declining,  he  was  at  last  obliged  to  consent  to  a 
partition  of  the  kingdom  ;  but  his  death,  which  happened 
soon  after,  freed  his  enemies  from  all  further  inquietude, 
and  gave  Edgar  peaceable  possession  of  the  government. 

13.  Edgar,  being  placed  on  the  throne  by  the  influence 
of  the  monks,  affected  to  be  entirely  guided  by  their  direc- 
tions in  all  his  succeeding  transactions. 

Little  worthy  of  notice  is  mentioned  of  this  monarch, 
except  his  amour  with  Elfrida,  which  is  of  too  singular  a 
nature  to  be  omitted.  14.  Edgar  had  long  heard  of  the 
beauty  of  a  young  lady,  whose  name  was  Elfrida,  daughter 
to  the  earl  of  Devonshire ;  but,  unwilling  to  credit  common 
fame  in  this  particular,  he  sent  Ethelwald,  his  favourite 
friend,  to  see  and  inform  him  if  Elfrida  was,  indeed,  that 
incomparable  woman  report  had  described  her.  15.  Ethel- 
wald, arriving  at  the  earl's,  had  no  sooner  set  his  eyes  upon 
that  nobleman's  daughter,  than  he  became  desperately  en- 
amoured of  her  himself.  Such  was  the  violence  of  his 
passion,  that,  forgetting  his  master's  intention,  he  solicited 
only  his  own  interest,  and  demanded  for  himself  the  beau- 
tiful Elfrida  from  her  father  in  marriage.  The  favourite  of 
a  king  was  not  likely  to  find  a   refusal ;  the   earl  gave  his 


32  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

consent,  and  the  nuptials  were  performed  in  private.  lft 
Upon  his  return  to  court,  which  was  shortly  after,  he  as- 
sured the  king  that  riches  alone,  and  her  high  quality,  had 
been  the  cause  of  her  high  fame,  and  he  appeared  amazed 
how  the  world  could  talk  so  much  and  so  unjustly  of  her 
charms.  The  king  was  satisfied,  and  no  longer  felt  any 
curiosity,  while  Ethelwald  secretly  triumphed  in  his  ad- 
dress. 17.  When  he  had,  by  this  deceit,  weaned  the  king 
from  his  purpose,  he  took  an  opportunity,  after  some  time, 
of  turning  the  conversation  on  Elfrida,  representing  that, 
though  the  fortune  of  the  earl  of  Devonshire's  daughter 
would  be  a  trifle  to  a  king,  yet  it  would  be  an  immense  ac- 
quisition to  a  needy  subject.  He  therefore  humbly  entreated 
permission  to  pay  his  addresses  to  her,  as  she  was  the  rich- 
est heiress  in  the  kingdom.  18.  A  request  so  seemingly 
reasonable  was  readily  complied  with ;  Ethelwald  returned 
to  his  wife,  and  their  nuptials  were  solemnized  in  public. 
His  greatest  care,  however,  was  employed  in  keeping  her 
from  court ;  and  he  took  every  precaution  to  prevent  her 
from  appearing  before  a  king  so  susceptible  of  love,  while 
she  was  so  capable  of  inspiring  that  passion.  But  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  his  treachery  long  concealed.  19.  Edgar 
was  soon  informed  of  the  whole  transaction  ;  but,  dissem- 
bling his  resentment,  he  took  occasion  to  visit  that  part  of 
the  country  where  this  miracle  of  beauty  was  detained,  accom- 
panied by  Ethelwald,  who  reluctantly  attended  him  thither. 
Upon  coming  near  the  lady's  habitation,  he  told  him  that  he 
had  a  desire  to  see  his  wife,  of  whom  he  had  formerly  heard 
so  much,  and  desired  to  be  introduced  as  his  acquaintance. 
20.  Ethelwald,  thunderstruck  at  the  proposal,  did  all  in  his 
power,  but  in  vain,  to  dissuade  him.  All  he  could  obtain, 
was  permission  to  go  before,  on  pretence  of  preparing  for 
the  king's  reception.  On  his  arrival  he  fell  at  his  wife's 
feet,  confessing  what  he  had  done  to  be  possessed  of  her 
charms,  and  conjuring  her  to  conceal  as  much  as  possible 
her  beauty  from  the  king,  who  was  too  susceptible  of  its 
power.  21.  Elfrida,  little  obliged  to  him  for  a  passion  that 
had  deprived  her  of  a  crown,  promised  compliance  ;  but, 
prompted  either  by  vanity  or  revenge,  adorned  her  person 
with  the  most  exquisite  art,  and  called  up  all  her  beauty  on 
the  occasion.  The  event  answered  her  expectations  ;  the 
king  no  sooner  saw,  than  he  loved  her,  and  was  instantly 
resolved  to  obtain  her.  22.  The  better  to  effect  his  inten- 
t.*uns,  he  concealed  his  passion  from  the  husband,  and  took 


EDGAR. 


33 


leave  with  a  seeming  indifference  ;  but  his  revenge  was  not 
the  less  certain  and  faithful.  Ethelwald  was  some  time 
after  sent  into  Northumberland,  upon  pretence  of  urgent 
affairs,  and  was  found  murdered  in  the  wood  by  the  way. 
23.  Some  say  he  was  stabbed  by  the  king's  own  hand  ; 
some  that  he  only  commanded  the  assassination;  however 
this  be,  Elfrida  was  invited  soon  after  to  court  by  the  king's 
own  order,  and  their  nuptials  were  performed  with  the  usual 
solemnity. 

This  monarch  died,  after  a  reign  of  sixteen  years,  in  the 
thirty-third  year  of  his  age,  being  succeeded  by  his  son 
Edward,  whom  he  had  by  his  first  marriage  with  the 
daughter  of  the  earl  of  Ordmer.* 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.D. 

Benedict  IV 900 

LeoV. 904 

SergiusIII 905 

Anastasius  III 910 

Lado 912 

JohnX 913 

Leo  VII 928 

Stephen  VIII 929 

John  XI 931 

Leo  VI 936 

StephenlX 939 

Martin  III 943 

Agapeptus 950 

John  XII 956 

Benedict  V 964 

John  XIII 965 


A.D. 

Benedict  VI 972 

DoniusII 972 

Emperors  of  the  East. 

Leo  VI 886 

Constantine  Porphy- 

rogenitus 910 

Romanus  the  young- 
er   959 

Nicephorus 963 

Zenrisces 970 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Lewis  III 899 

Conradel 912 

Henry  1 919 


A.D. 

Othol 936 

Otholl 973 

Kings  of  France. 

Charles  III 899 

Lewis  IV 936 

Lothaire  I 954 

Kings  of  Scotland. 
Constantine  HI ... .  909 

Malcolm  1 943 

Indulphus 958 

Duffus 967 

Culenus 972 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

In  the  reign  of  Edward:  Ethelfrida,  sister  of  Edward  the  Elder,  a  great 
warrior,  and  very  instrumental  in  assisting  to  gain  her  brother's  victories. 
Atholme,  archbishop  of  Canterbury. — In  the  reign  of  Athelstan:  Guy,  earl 
of  Warwick,  who  is  said  to  have  killed  the  Danish  giant  Colbrand,  in  single 
combat,  at  Winchester,  and  performed  many  other  extraordinary  actions. 
Terketyl,  a  successful  warrior,  an  abbot  of  Croyland,  and  chancellor  of  Eng- 
land. Wolston,  archbishop  of  Canterbury- — In  the  reign  of  Edred :  Dun- 
stan,  abbot  of  Glastonbury.  Odo,  archbishop  of  Canterbury. — In  the  reign 
of  Edgar :  Dunstan  and  Elsius,  archbishops  of  Canterbury. 


*  Until  the  reign  of  Edgar,  England  was  much  infested  with  wolves 
The  king,  however,  was  indefatigable  in  hunting  and  destroying  them  ;  but 
finding  that  those  which  escaped  took  shelter  in  the  mountains  and  forestf 
of  Wales,  he  changed  the  tribute  of  money  imposed  on  that  country  into  a* 
annual  tribute  of  300  wolves'  heads :  this  produced  such  diligence  m  hunt 
ing  them,  that  their  extirpation  was  soon  effected. 


*I  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Questions  for  Examination 

I    What  was  the  cause  of  Edward's  death?  and  who  succeeded  him  ? 
«'$.  To  whose  direction  did  Edred  submit? 
1 .  Who  succeeded  Edred  ? 

6.  Whom  did  Edwy  marry  ? 

7.  What  happened  on  the  day  of  his  coronation  ? 

3.  On  what  account  was  Dunstan  banished  the  kingdom  « 
9   By  whose  orders  was  the  queen  seized  ? 
H.  Who  was  Elfrida,  and  whom  did  Edgar  send  to  her  ? 

15.  How  did  Ethel wald  perform  his  mission  ? 

16,  17,  18.  Relate  what  followed. 

19.  How  did  the  king  act  on  hearing  the  whole  transaction  ? 

20.  WThat  did  Ethelwald  request  of  his  wife  ? 

21 .  What  was  the  result  of  her  non-compliance  ? 

22.  How  did  Ethelwald  die  ? 

23.  How  long  did  Edgar  reign  ?  and  by  whom  was  he  succeeded  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

Cut  off  even  in  the  blossom  of  my  *in, 

Unhousel'd,  unanointed,  unnaneal'd,  t 

No  reck'ning  made,  but  sent  to  my  account 

With  all  my  imperfections  on  my  head.  —  Shakspeare 

1.  (A.  D.  975.)  Edward,  surnamed  the  Martyr,  was 
made  king  by  the  interest  of  the  monks,  and  lived  but  four 
years  after  his  accession.  In  this  reign  there  is  nothing 
remarkable  if  we  except  his  tragical  and  memorable  end. 
2.  Hunting  one  day  near  Corfe  Castle,  where  Elfrida,  his 
mother-in-law,  resided,  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  pay  her  a 
visit,  although  he  was  not  attended  by  any  of  his  retinue. 
There  desiring  some  liquor  to  be  brought  him,  as  he  was 
thirsty,  while  he  was  yet  holding  the  cup  to  his  head,  one 
of  Elfrida's  domestics,  instructed  for  that  purpose,  stabbed 
him  in  the  back.  The  king,  finding  himself  wounded,  put 
spurs  to  his  horse ;  but  fainting  with  the  loss  of  blood,  he 
fell  from  the  saddle,  and  his  foot  sticking  in  the  stirrup,  he 
was  dragged  along  by  his  horse  till  he  died. 

3.  Ethelred  the  Second,  surnamed  the  Unready,  the  son 
of  Edgar  and  Elfrida,  succeeded;  a  weak  and  irresolute 
monarch,  incapable  of  governing  the  kingdom,  or  providing 
for  its  safety.  During  his  reign,  the  old  and  terrible  ene- 
mies, the  Danes,  who  seemed  not  to  be  loaded  with  the 
same  accumulation  of  vice  and  folly  as  the  English,  were 
daily  gaining  ground.  4.  The  weakness  and  inexperience 
of  Ethelred  appeared  to  give  a  favourable  opportunity  for 
renewing  their  depredations ;  and  accordingly,  they  landed 
on  several  parts  of  the  coast,  spreading  their  usual  terror 
and  devastation.     A.  D.  981. 


CANUTE.  35 

As  they  lived  indiscriminately  among  the  English,  a 
resolution  was  taken  for  a  general  massacre  ;  and  Ethelred, 
by  a  policy  incident  to  weak  princes,  embraced  the  cruel 
resolution  of  putting  them  all  to  the  sword.  5.  This  plot 
was  carried  on  with  such  secrecy,  that  it  was  executed  in 
one  day,  and  all  the  Danes  in  England  were  destroyed 
without  mercy.  But  this  massacre,  so  perfidious  in  the 
contriving,  and  so  cruel  in  the  execution,  instead  of  ending 
the  long  miseries  of  the  people,  only  prepared  the  way  for 
greater  calamities. 

6.  While  the  English  were  yet  congratulating  each  other 
upon  their  late  deliverance  from  an  inveterate  enemy, 
Sweyn,  king  of  Denmark,  who  had  been  informed  of  their 
treacherous  cruelties,  appeared  off  the  western  coasts  with 
a  large  fleet,  meditating  slaughter,  and  furious  with  revenge. 
Ethelred  was  obliged  to  fly  into  Normandy,  and  the  whole 
country  thus  came  under  the  power  of  Sweyn,  his  vic- 
torious rival. 

7.  Canute,  afterwards  surnamed  the  Great,  succeeded 
Sweyn  as  king  of  Denmark,  and  also  as  general  of  the 
Danish  forces  in  England.  The  contest  between  him  and 
Edmund  Ironside,  successor  to  Ethelred,  was  managed  with 
great  obstinacy  and  perseverance  :  the  first  battle  that  was 
fought  appeared  indecisive ;  a  second  followed,  in  which 
the  Danes  were  victorious ;  but  Edmund  still  having  inter- 
est enough  to  bring  a  third  army  into  the  field,  the  Danish 
and  English  nobility,  equally  harassed  by  these  convulsions, 
obliged  their  kings  to  come  to  a  compromise,  and  to  divide 
the  kingdom  between  them  by  treaty.*  8.  Canute  reserved 
to  himself  the  northern  parts  of  the  kingdom;  the  southern 
parts  were  left  to  Edmund  ;  but  this  prince  being  murdered 
about  a  month  after  the  treaty,  by  his  two  chamberlains  n\ 
Oxford,  Canute  was  left  in  peaceable  possession  of  the 
whole  kingdom.     A.  D.  1017. 

Canutef  is  represented,  by  some  historians,  as  one  of  llie 
first  characters  in  those  barbarous  ages.     The  piety  of  Ihe 

*  In  the  battle  which  was  fought  at  Athelney,  Edmund,  perceiving  Cauule 
at  the  head  of  his  forces,  rode  off  from  his  own,  and  Canute  advancing,  a 
furious  combat  ensued,  in  which  (according  to  the  author  of  the  Medulla 
Histories  Anglicancs)  Canute  was  wounded,  and  first  proposed  forbearance 
and  this,  it  is  said,  led  to  the  division  of  the  kingdom.  By  Canute's  accession 
to  the  throne,  a  termination  was  put  to  a  war  with  the  Danes,  which  had, 
almost  without  intermission,  raged  for  200  years. 

t  In  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  to  atone  for  his  many  acts  of  violence,  he 
ouilt  churches,  endowed  monasteries, imported  relics,  and  made  a  pilgrrnage 
to  Rome. 


36  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

latter  part  of  his  life,  and  the  resolute  valour  of  the  former, 
were  topics  that  filled  the  mouths  of  his  courtiers  with  flat- 
tery and  praise.  9.  They  even  affected  to  think  his  power 
uncontrollable,  and  that  all  things  would  be  obedient  to  his 
command.  Canute,  sensible  of  their  adulation,  is  said  to 
have  taken  the  following  method  to  reprove  them.  He 
ordered  his  chair  to  be  set  on  the  sea-shore  while  the  tide  was 
coming  in,  and  commanded  the  sea  to  retire.  10.  "  Thou 
art  under  my  dominion,"  cried  he,  "the  land  upon  which  I 
sit  is  mine  ;  I  charge  thee,  therefore,  to  approach  no  farther, 
nor  dare  to  wet  the  feet  of  thy  sovereign."  He  feigned  to 
sit  some  time  in  expectation  of  submission,  till  the  waves 
began  to  surround  him,  then  turning  to  his  courtiers,  he 
observed,  That  the  titles  of  Lord  and  Master  belonged  only 
to  Him  whom  both  earth  and  seas  were  ready  to  obey. 
11.  Thus  feared  and  respected,  he  lived  many  years,  ho- 
noured with  the  surname  of  Great  for  his  power,  but  de- 
serving it  still  more  for  his  virtues.  He  died  at  Shaftes- 
bury,* in  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  reign,  leaving  behind 
him  three  sons,  Sweyn,  Harold,  and  Hardicanute.  Sweyn 
was  crowned  king  of  Norway,  Hardicanute  was  put  in  pos- 
session of  Denmark,  and  Harold  succeeded  his  father  on 
the  English  throne.     A.  D.  1036. 

12.  To  Harold  succeeded  his  brother,  Hardicanute, 
whose  title  was  readily  acknowledged  both  by  the  Danes 
and  the  English  ;  and,  upon  his  arrival  from  the  continent, 
he  was  received  with  the  most  extravagant  demonstrations 
of  joy.  This  king's  violent  and  unjust  government  was  of 
but  short  duration.  He  died  two  years  after  his  accession, 
in  consequence  of  excess  at  the  marriage  of  a  Danish  lord, 
which  was  celebrated  at  Lambeth. 

13.  The  disorders  of  the  Danish  monarchs  once  more 
induced  the  English  to  place  a  monarch  of  the  Saxon  line 
upon  the  throne,  and  accordingly  Edward,  surnamed  the 
Confessor,  was  by  the  general  consent  crowned  king. 
A.D.  1041. 

The  English,  who  had  long  groaned  under  a  foreign  yoke, 
now  set  no  bounds  to  their  joy,  at  finding  the  line  of  their 
ancient  monarchs  restored. 

14.  As  he  had  been  bred  in  the  Norman  court,  he  showed, 
m  ^svery  instance,  a  predilection  for  the  customs,  laws,  and 
even  the  natives  of  that  country ;  and,  among  the  rest  of 
his  faults,  though  he  married  Editha,  the  daughter  of  God 

*  A  market  town  in  Dorsetshire. 


HAROLD.  37 

win,  yet  either  from  mistaken  piety,  or  fixed  aversion,  during 
his  whole  reign  he  abstained  from  her  society  !* 

15.  Thus  having  no  legitimate  issue,  and  being  wholly 
engrossed,  during  the  continuance  of  a  long  reign,  with  the 
visions  of  superstition,  he  was  at  last  surprised  by  sickness, 
which  brought  him  to  his  end,  on  the  5th  of  January,  in  the 
sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  and  twenty-fifth  of  his  reign. 

16.  Harold,  the  son  of  a  popular  nobleman,  whose  name 
was  Godwin,  and  whose  virtues  seemed  to  give  a  right  to 
his  pretensions,  ascended  the  throne  without  any  opposition. 
But  neither  his  valour,  his  justice,  nor  his  popularity  were 
able  to  secure  him  from  the  misfortunes  attendant  upon  an 
ill-grounded  title.  His  pretensions  were  opposed  by  Wil- 
liam duke  of  Normandy,  who  insisted  that  the  crown  be- 
longed of  right  to  him,  it  being  bequeathed  to  him  by  Edward 
the  Confessor. f 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  whose  interest  was  Edward  the  Martyr  crowned  king  ? 

2.  Relate  the  circumstances  attending  the  king's  death. 

3.  Who  succeeded  Edward  ? 

4.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  Danes  during  Ethelred's  reign? 

5.  What  method  did  Ethelred  take  to  destroy  the  Danes? 

6.  What  was  the  consequence  of  Ethelred's  perfidy  ? 

7.  By  whom  was  Sweyn  succeeded  ? 

9.  Did  Canute  reprove  his  courtiers  for  their  flattery  ? 
10   Repeat  the  words  Canute  made  use  of  on  this  occasion. 
11.  Where  did  Canute  die?  and  what  issue  did  he  leave? 

13.  Whom  did  the  English  place  on  the  throne  upon  the  death  of  Hardica* 

nute  ?, 

14.  Where  had  Edward  the  Confessor  been  bred  ?   and  what  predilections 

had  he  in  consequence  ? 

15.  How  long  did  Edward  reign  ? 

16.  What  were  the  pretensions  of  William  duke  of  Normandy  to  the  English 

throne  ? 


SECTION  V. 


Ah  !  who  can  tell  the  horrors  of  that  day 

When  Harold  fell  on  the  ensanguined  field  ; 
Where  rank  'gainst  rank  rushed  on,  in  dread  array, 

With  jav'iin,  arrow,  battle-axe,  and  shield. —  Brown. 

1.  (A.D.  1066.)  William,  who  was  afterwards  called  the 
Conqueror,  was  natural  son  of  Robert,  duke  of  Normandy. 
His  mother's  name  was  Arlette,  a  beautiful  maid  of  Falaise, 
whom  Robert  fell  in  love  with  as  she  stood  gazing  at  the 
door,  while  he  passed  through  the  town.    William,  who  was 

*  This  contributed  to  gain  him  the  title  of  Saint  and  Confessor. 

t  Edward  the  Confessor  converted  a  small  monastery  into  the  beautiful 
cathedral  called  Westminster  Abbey,  where  he  built  his  own  sepulchre, 
and  which,  until  very  lately,  has  been  the  usual  burial  place  of  the  English 
monarchs 

D 


38  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

the  offspring  of  this  amour,  owed  a  part  of  his  gieatness  to 
his  birth,  but  still  more  to  his  own  personal  merit.  2.  His 
body  was  vigorous,  his  mind  capacious  and  noble,  and  his 
courage  not  to  be  repressed  by  apparent  danger.  Upon 
coming  to  his  dukedom  of  Normandy,  though  yet  very 
young,  he  on  all  sides  opposed  his  rebellious  subjects,  and 
repressed  foreign  invaders,  while  his  valour  and  conduct 
prevailed  in  every  action.  3.  The  tranquillity  which  he 
had  thus  established  in  his  dominions  induced  him  to  extend 
his  views  ;  and  some  overtures  made  by  Edward  the  Con- 
fessor, in  the  latter  part  of  his  reign,  who  was  wavering  in 
the  choice  of  a  successor,  inflamed  his  ambition  with  a  de- 
sire of  succeeding  to  the  English  throne.  4.  The  pope 
himself  was  not  behind  the  rest  in  favouring  his  pretensions ; 
and,  either  influenced  by  the  apparent  justice  of  his  claims, 
or  by  the  hopes  of  extending  the  authority  of  the  church,  he 
immediately  pronounced  Harold  an  usurper.  With  such 
favourable  incentives,  William  soon  found  himself  at  the 
head  of  a  chosen  army  of  sixty  thousand  men,  all  equipped 
in  the  most  warlike  and  splendid  manner.  5.  It  was  in  the 
beginning  of  summer  that  he  embarked  this  powerful  body 
on  board  a  fleet  of  three  hundred  sail ;  and,  after  some  small 
opposition  from  the  weather,  landed  at  Pevensey,*  on  the 
coast  of  Sussex,  with  resolute  tranquillity. 

6.  Harold,  who  seemed  resolved  to  defend  his  right  to 
the  crown,  and  retain  that  sovereignty  which  he  had  received 
from  the  people,  who  only  had  a  right  to  bestow  it,  was  now 
returning,  flushed  with  conquest,  from  defeating  the  Nor- 
wegians, who  had  invaded  the  kingdom,  with  all  the  forces 
he  had  employed  in  that -expedition,  and  all  he  could  invite 
or  collect  in  the  country  through  which  he  passed.  His 
army  was  composed  of  active  and  valiant  troops,  in  high 
spirits,  strongly  attached  to  their  king,  and  eager  to  engage. 

7.  On  the  other  hand,  the  army  of  William  consisted  of 
the  flower  of  the  continent,  and  had  long  been  inured  to 
danger.  The  men  of  Britanny,  Boulogne,  Flanders,  Poictou, 
Maine,  Orleans,  France,  and  Normandy,  were  all  voluntarily 
united  under  his  command.  England  never  before,  nor  ever 
since,  saw  two  such  armies  drawn  up  to  dispute  its  crown. 
8.  The  day  before  the  battle,  William  sent  an  offer  to 
Harold  to  decide  the  quarrel  between  them  by  single  combat, 
and  thus  to  spare  the  blood  of  thousands :  but  Harold  re- 
fused, and  said  he  would  leave  it  to  the  God  of  armies  to 
determine.      Both  armies,  therefore,  that  night  pitched  in 

*  A  small  town  m  Sussex. 


HAROLD.  39 

sight  of  each  other,  expecting  the  dawning  of  the  day  with 
impatience.  The  English  passed  the  night  in  songs  and 
feasting ;  the  Normans  in  devotion  and  prayer. 

(Oct.  13,  1066.)  9.  The  next  morning,  at  seven,  as  soon 
as  day  appeared,  both  armies  were  drawn  up  in  array  against 
each  other.  Harold  appeared  in  the  centre  of  his  forces, 
leading  on  his  army  on  foot,  that  his  men  might  be  more 
encouraged,  by  seeing  their  king  exposed  to  an  equality  of 
danger.  William  fought  on  horseback,  leading  on  his  army, 
that  moved  at  once,  singing  the  songs  of  Roland,  one  of  the 
famous  chiefs  of  their  country.  10.  The  Normans  began 
to  fight  with  their  cross-bows,  which,  at  first,  galled  and 
surprised  the  English  ;  and,  as  their  ranks  were  close,  their 
arrows  did  great  execution.  But  soon  they  came  to  closer 
fight,  and  the  English  with  their  bills  hewed  down  their 
adversaries  with  great  slaughter.  Confusion  was  spreading 
among  the  ranks,  when  William,  who  found  himself  on  the 
brink  of  destruction,  hastened  with  a  select  band  to  the 
relief  of  his  forces.  11.  His  presence  restored  the  suspense 
of  battle ;  he  was  seen  in  every  place,  endeavouring  to 
pierce  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  had  three  horses  slain 
under  him.  At  length,  perceiving  that  the  English  continued 
impenetrable,  he  pretended  to  give  ground,  which,  as  he 
expected,  drew  the  enemy  from  their  ranks,  and  he  was 
instantly  ready  to  take  advantage  of  their  disorder.  12.  Upon 
a  signal  given,  the  Normans  immediately  returned  to  the 
charge  with  greater  fury  than  before,  broke  the  English 
troops,  and  pursued  them  to  a  rising  ground.  It  was  in  this 
extremity  that  Harold  was  seen  flying  from  rank  to  rank, 
rallying  and  inspiring  his  troops  with  vigour ;  and  though 
he  had  toiled  all  day,  till  near  night-fall,  in  front  of  his 
Kentish  men,  yet  he  still  seemed  unabated  in  force  or  cou- 
rage, keeping  his  men  to  the  post  of  honour. 

13.  Once  more,  therefore,  the  victory  seemed  to  turn 
against  the  Normans,  and  they  fell  in  great  numbers,  so 
that  the  fierceness  and  obstinacy  of  this  memorable  battle 
was  often  renewed  by  the  courage  of  the  leaders,  whenever 
that  of  the  soldiers  began  to  slacken.  Fortune  at  length  de- 
termined a  victory  that  valour  was  unable  to  decide. 

14.  Harold,  making  a  furious  onset  at  the  head  of  his 
troops  against  the  Norman  heavy  armed  infantry,  was  shot 
into  the  brains  by  an  arrow  ;  and  his  two  valiant  brothers, 
fighting  by  his  side,  shared  the  same  fate.  He  fell  with  his 
sword  in  his  hand,  amidst  heaps  of  slain  ;  and,  after  the  bat- 


40 


HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 


tie,  the  royal  corpse  could  hardly  be  distinguished  among 
the  dead.* 

This  was  the  end  of  the  Saxon  monarchy  in  England 
which  had  continued  for  more  than  six  hundred  years. 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.D. 

Benedict  VII 975 

JohnXTV 984 

John  XV 985 

Gregory  V 996 

Silvester  II ..  999 

John  XVI 1003 

John  XVII 1004 

Sergius  IV.-. ......  1009 

Benedict  VIII 1012 

John  XVIII 1024 

Benedict  IX 1033 

Gregory  VI 1044 

Clement  II 1046 

Damascus  II 1048 

Leo  IX 1049 

Victor  II 1055 

Stephen  X 1057 

Nicholas  II 1059 

Alexander  II 1061 


Emperors  of  the  East. 

A.D. 

BasiliusII 975 

ConstantineX 1025 

Romanus  III 1028 

Michael  IV 1034 

Michael  V 1041 

Constantine  XI 1042 

Theodore  (emp.)...  1054 

Michael  VI 1056 

Isaac  Comnenus. . .  1059 

Constantine  XII...  1059 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

OthoII 973 

OthoIII 983 

Henry  II 1002 

Conrad  II 1024 

Henry  III 1039 

Henry  IV 1056 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Kings  of  France. 

A.D. 

Lothaire  1 954 

Louis  V.. 986 

Hugh  Capet 987 

Robert  II 997 

Henry  1 1031 

Philip  1 1060 


Kings  of  Scotland. 

Culenus 972 

Kenneth  III 977 

Constantine  IV....  1002 

Grimus 1005 

Malcolm  II 1054 

Duncan  1 1031 

Macbeth 1040 

Malcolm  III 1057 


In  the  reigns  of  Edward  the  Martyr,  Elhelred  II.  and  Edmund :  the  duke 
of  Mercia,  who  took  part  with  Elfrida  and  the  clergy,  against  the  king. 
Dunstan,  Ethelgar,  Elfric,  Siricius,  Alphage,  and  Livingus,  archbishops  of 
Canterbury. — In  the  reigns  of  Canute,  Harold,  Hardicanute,  and  Edward  the 
Confessor  :  Elnothus,  Edsine,  and  Robert,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.  God- 
win, earl  of  Kent,  whose  estates  being  afterwards  swallowed  by  inundations 
of  the  sea,  are  now  denominated  the  Goodwin  Sands.-— In  the  reign  of  Harold 
II. :  Leofwin  and  Gurf,  brothers  to  the  king.  Stigand,  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury.   Tosti,  earl  of  Northumberland. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  wTas  William  the  Conqueror? 

5.  When  and  where  did  William  land  ? 

6,7.  Of  what  were  the  armies  of  Harold  and  William  composed  ? 

8.  How  did  the  two  armies  pass  the  night  previous  to  the  battle  ? 

9.  In  what  way  did  Harold  and  William  lead  their  respective  armies  to 

battle  ? 
11, 12, 13.  Describe  the  conduct  of  William  and  Harold. 
14.  How  did  Harold  fall  ? 

How  long  did  the  Saxon  monarchy  continue  in  England  ? 

*  The  English  in  this  battle  neither  used  the  long-bow  nor  cross-bow,  but 
both  were  used  by  the  Normans.  The  English  forces  were  nearly  all  in- 
fantry, while  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  Norman  army  was  composed  of 
cavalry.  It  is  therefore  probable,  that  to  the  want  of  cavalry,  and  the  not 
using  any  missive  weapons,  may  be  in  a  great  measure  attributed  the  defeat 
of  Harold's  army.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  victory  remained  undecided  from 
nine  in  the  morning  till  the  close  of  the  day,  when  the  death  of  the  king,  who 
cad  slain  many  Normans  with  his  own  hand,  finally  turned  the  scale. 


WILLIAM    THE    CONQUEROR.  41 

CHAPTER  IV. 

WILLIAM  THE  CONQUEROR. 

Born  1024.    Died  Sept.  9th,  1087.    Began  to  reign  Dec.  25th,  1066.    Reigned 
21  years.  , 


William  the  Conqueror  receiving  the  crown  of  England. 
A  furious  victor's  partial  will  prevailed, 
All  prostrate  lay  ;  and,  in  the  secret  shade, 
Deep  stung  but  fearful  indignation  gnashed 
His  teeth.  Thomson. 

1.  (A.D.  1066.)  As  soon  as  William  passed  the  Thames 
at  Wallingford,  Stigand,  the  primate,  made  submission  to 
him  in  the  name  of  the  clergy  :  and  before  he  came  within 
sight  of  the  city,  all  the  chief  nobility  came  into  his  camp, 
and  declared  their  intention  of  yielding  to  his  authority. 
William  was  glad  of  being  peaceably  put  in  possession  of  a 
throne  which  several  of  his  predecessors  had  not  gained 
without  repeated  victories. 

2.  But,  in  order  to  give  his  invasion  all  the  sanction  pos- 
sible, he  was  crowned  at  Westminster  by  the  archbishop 
of  York,  and  took  the  oath  usual  in  the  times  of  the  Saxon 
and  Danish  kings  ;  which  was,  to  protect  and  defend  the 
church,  to  observe  the  laws  of  the  realm,  and  to  govern  the 
people  with  impartiality.  Having  thus  secured  the  govern- 
ment, and  by  a  mixture  of  rigour  and  lenity,  brought  the 
English  to  an  entire  submission,  he  resolved  to  return  to  the 
continent,  there  to  enjoy  the  triumph  and  congratulations 
of  his  ancient  subjects. 

d2 


42  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

3.  In  the  mean  time  the  absence  of  the  Conqueror  in 
England  produced  the  most  fatal  effects.  His  officers,  being 
no  longer  controlled  by  his  justice,  thought  this  a  fit  oppor- 
tunity for  extortion  ;  while  the  English,  no  longer  awed  by 
his  presence,  thought  it  the  happiest  occasion  for  vindicating 
their  freedom. 

4.  The  English  had  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  cut  off 
their  invaders,  and  fixed  the  day  for  their  intended  massa- 
cre, which  was  to  be  on  Ash-Wednesday,  during  the  time 
of  divine  service,  when  all  the  Normans  would  be  unarmed 
as  penitents,  according  to  the  discipline  of  the  times.  But 
William's  return  quickly  disconcerted  all  their  schemes;  and 
from  that  time  forward  he  began  to  lose  all  confidence  in  his 
English  subjects,  and  to  regard  them  as  inveterate  and  ir- 
reconcilable enemies.  5.  He  had  already  raised  such  a 
number  of  fortresses  in  the  kingdom,  that  he  no  longer 
dreaded  the  tumultuous  or  transient  efforts  of  a  disconcerted 
multitude  ;  he  therefore  determined  to  treat  them  as  a  con- 
quered nation;*  to  indulge  his  own  avarice,  and  that  of  his 
followers,  by  numerous  confiscations  :  and  to  secure  his 
power  by  humbling  all  who  were  able  to  make  any  resist- 
ance. 6.  He  proceeded  to  confiscate  all  the  estates  of  the 
English  gentry,  and  to  grant  them  liberally  to  his  Norman 
followers.  Thus  all  the  ancient  and  honourable  families 
were  reduced  to  beggary,  and  the  English  found  themselves 
entirely  excluded  from  every  road  that  led  either  to  honour 
or  preferment. 

7.  To  keep  the  clergy  as  much  as  possible  in  his  inter- 
ests, he  appointed  none  but  his  own  countrymen  to  the 
most  considerable  church  dignities,  and  even  displaced  Sti- 
gand,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  upon  some  frivolous  pre- 
tences. 

William  having  crushed  several  conspiracies,  and  by 
punishing  the  malecontents,  thus  secured  the  peace  of  his 
dominions,  now  expected  rest  from  his  labours  ;  and,  find- 

*  So  mercilessly  did  he  treat  the  people  whom  he  had  conquered,  and  so 
determined  was  he  to  incapacitate  them  from  future  resistance  to  his  power, 
that  on  the  Northumbrians  having  revolted,  in  1070,  he  gave  orders  to  lay 
waste  the  fine  fertile  lands  between  the  rivers  Humber  and  Tees,  for  the  ex- 
tent of  sixty  miles.  Many  flourishing  towns,  fine  villages,  and  noble  country- 
seats  were  accordingly  burnt  down  ;  the  implements  of  husbandry  destroyed, 
and  the  cattle  driven  away.  The  great  lord  Lyttleton,  speaking  of  these 
cruel  devastations,  and  those  occasioned  by  the  "  Forest  laws,"  observes,  that 
Attila  did  no  more  deserve  the  name  of  the  "Scourge  of  God,"  than  this 
merciless  tyrant,  nor  did  he,  nor  any  other  destroyer  of  nations,  make  more 
aavoc  in  an  enemy's  country  than  William  did  in  his  own. 


WILLIAM    THE    CONQUEROR.  43 

tng  none  either  willing  or  powerful  enough  to  oppose  him, 
he  hoped  that  the  end  of  his  reign  would  be  marked  with 
prosperity  and  peace.  8.  But  such  is  the  blindness  of 
human  hope,  that  he  found  enemies  where  he  least  expected 
them :  and  such,  too,  as  served  to  imbitter  all  the  latter  part  of 
his  life.  His  last  troubles  were  excited  by  his  own  children, 
from  the  opposing  of  whom  he  could  expect  to  reap  neither 
glory  nor  gain.  He  had  three  sons,  Robert,  William,  and 
Henry,  besides  several  daughters.  9.  Robert,  his  eldest  son, 
surnamed  Curthose  from  the  shortness  of  his  legs,  was  a 
prince  who  inherited  all  the  bravery  of  his  family  and  nation, 
but  was  rather  bold  than  prudent:  and  was  often  heard  to 
express  his  jealousy  of  his  two  brothers,  William  and  Henry. 

These  by  greater  assiduity,  had  wrought  upon  the  cre- 
dulity and  affections  of  the  king,  and  consequently  were  the 
more  obnoxious  to  Robert.  10.  A  mind,  therefore,  so  well 
prepared  for  resentment  soon  found  or  made  cause  for  an 
open  rupture.  The  princes  were  one  day  in  sport  together, 
and,  in  the  idle  petulance  of  play,  took  it  in  their  heads  to 
throw  water  over  their  elder  brother  as  he  passed  through  the 
court,  on  leaving  their  apartment.  Robert,  all  alive  to  sus- 
picion, quickly  turned  this  frolic  into  studied  indignity:  and 
having  these  jealousies  further  inflamed  by  one  of  his  favour- 
ites, he  drew  his  sword,  and  ran  up  stairs,  with  intent  to 
take  revenge.  11.  The  whole  castle  was  quickly  filled 
with  tumult,  and  it  "was  not  without  some  difficulty  that  the 
king  himself  was  able  to  appease  it.  But  he  could  not  allay 
the  animosity  which,  from  that  moment,  ever  after  prevailed 
in  his  family.  Robert,  attended  by  several  of  his  confederates, 
withdrew  to  Rouen  that  very  night,  hoping  to  surprise  the 
castle,  but  his  design  was  defeated  by  the  governor. 

12.  The  flame  being  thus  kindled,  the  popular  character  of 
the  prince,  and  a  sympathy  of  manners,  engaged  all  the  young 
nobility  of  Normandy  and  Maine,  as  well  as  Anjou  and  Brit- 
tanny,  to  espouse  his  quarrel ;  even  his  mother,  it  is  said,  sup- 
ported him  by  secret  remittances,  and  aided  him  in  this  ob- 
stinate resistance  by  private  encouragement.  This  unnatural 
contest  continued  for  several  years  to  inflame  the  Norman 
state,  and  William  was  at  last  obliged  to  have  recourse  to 
England,  for  supporting  his  authority  against  his  son.  13 
Accordingly,  drawing  an  army  of  Englishmen  together,  lie 
led  them  over  to  Normandy,  where  he  soon  compelled 
Robert  and  his  adherents  to  quit  the  field,  and  he  was  quickly 
reinstated  in  all  his  dominions.* 
1  Fn  one  of  the  battles  between  the  forces  of  William  and  his  son  Rober 


44  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

William  had  scarcely  put  an  end  to  this  transaction,  wher 
he  felt  a  very  severe  blow  in  the  death  of  Matilda,  his  queen ; 
and  in  addition  to  this  domestic  calamity,  he  received  infor- 
mation of  a  general  insurrection  in  the  Norman  government. 

14.  Upon  his  arrival  on  the  continent,  he  found  that  the 
insurgents  had  been  secretly  assisted  and  excited  by  the  king 
of  France,  whose  policy  consisted  in  thus  lessening  the  Nor- 
man power,  by  creating  dissensions  among  the  nobles  of  its 
different  provinces.  William's  displeasure  was  not  a  little 
increased  by  the  account  he  received  of  some  railleries  which 
that  monarch  had  thrown  out  against  him.  This  so  pro- 
voked the  English  monarch,  that  he  sent  him  word,  that 
he  should  soon  set  the  kingdom  of  France  in  a  flame. 

15  In  order  to  perform  this  promise,  he  levied  a  strong 
army,and,  entering  the  isle  of  France,  destroyed  and  burned 
all  the  villages  and  houses  without  opposition,  and  took  the 
town  of  Mantua,  which  he  reduced  to  ashes.  But  the  pro- 
gress of  these  hostilities  was  stopped  by  an  accident,  which 
shortly  after  put  an  end  to  William's  life. 

His  horse  chancing  to  place  his  fore-foot  on  some  hot 
ashes,  plunged  «o  violently,  that  the  rider  was  thrown  for- 
ward, and  bruised  upon  the  pommel  of  the  saddle  to  such  a 
degree,  that  he  suffered  a  relapse,  of  which  he  died,  shortly 
after,  at  a  little  village  near  Rouen. — Sept.  9,1087.* 


Popes. 

AD. 

Alexander  II......   1061 

Gregory  VII 1073 

Victor  III 1086 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
ConstantineXII...  1059 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS 

King  of  France. 


RomanusIV 1063 

Michael  VII......  1071 

Nicephorus  1 1078 

Alexis  1 1081 

Emperor  of  the  West. 
Henry  IV 1056 


A.D 

Philip  I.... 1060 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

Malcolm  III 1059 

Donald  VIII 1068 


the  latter  happened  to  engage  the  king,  whose  face  was  concealed  hy  hi* 
helmet,  and,  both  of  them  being  valiant,  a  fierce  combat  ensued,  till  the  young 
prince  wounded  his  father  in  the  arm,  and  unhorsed  him.  On  his  calling  out 
for  assistance,  his  voice  discovered  him  to  his  son,  who,  struck  with  remorse, 
threw  himself  at  his  father's  feet,  and  craved  pardon  for  his  offence ;  but  Wil- 
liam, who  was  highly  exasperated,  gave  him  his  malediction.  He  was  how 
ever,  afterwards,  reconciled  to  him, and  on  his  return  to  England,  Robert  was 
successfully  employed  in  retaliating  an  invasion  of  Malcolm,  king  of  Scotland. 
*  In  this  reign  justices  of  the  peace  were  first  appointed  in  England. 
The  Tower  of  London  was  built.  A  general  survey  of  all  the  lands  of  the 
kingdom  made,  their  value,  proprietors,  quality  of  the  soil,  &c.  and  entered 
in  a  register,  called  Doomsday-book,  which  is  still  preserved  in  the  exche- 
quer, and  is  considered  the  most  valuable  monument  of  antiquity  possessed 
by  any  nation.  The  curfew  (or  cover  fire)  bell  established,  at  which  signal 
all  fires  and  candles  were  arbitrarily  extinguished  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening 


WILLIAM    THE    CONQUEROR.  45 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Prince  Edgar  Atheling.  Stigand  and  Lanfranc,  archbishops  of  Canterbury. 
Edwin  and  Morcar,  earls  of  Northumberland  and  Mercia. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  In  what  manner  was  William  received  by  the  nobility  and  clergy  ? 

2.  Where  and  by  whom  was  he  crowned  ? 

4.  What  conspiracy  did  the  English  enter  into  ? 

5.  In  what  way  did  William  determine  to  treat  his  English  subjects  ? 

6.  7.  What  measures  did  he  adopt  to  degrade  the  English  ? 
9.  What  were  the  troubles  which  afflicted  William  ? 

10,  11.  What  frolic  was  it  that  led  to  the  serious  consequences  that  followed  ? 

12.  Who  espoused  Robert's  cause  ? 

13.  What  happened  in  one  of  the  engagements  between  the  forces  of  the 

king  and  his  son  ?    (-See  the  vole.) 

14.  What  inducement  had  the  king  of  France  to  assist  the  insurgents  ? 

15.  What  caused  William's  death? 

What  valuable  ancient  record  is  preserved  in  the  exchequer,  and  what 
was  its  use  ?    (See  the  note.) 


CHAPTER  V. 

WILLIAM  RUFUS. 


Born  1060.    Died  August  2d,  1100.    Began  to  reign  Sept.  9th,  1087.    Reigned 
12$  years. 

And  that  Red  King,  who,  while  of  ojd 
Through  Boldrewood  the  chase  he  led, 
By  his  loved  huntsman's  arrow  bled.  —  Walter  Scott. 

1.  (A.  D.  1087.)  William,  surnamed  Rufus,  from  the 
colour  of  his  hair,  was  appointed,  by  the  king's  will,  his 
successor,  while  the  elder  son,  Robert,  was  left  in  posses- 
sion of  Normandy.  Nevertheless,  the  Norman  barons 
were  from  the  beginning  displeased  at  the  division  of  the 
empire  by  the  late  king :  they  eagerly  desired  a  union  as 
before,  and  looked  upon  Robert  as  the  proper  owner  of  the 
whole.  A  powerful  conspiracy  was  therefore  carried  on 
against  William ;  and  Odo,  the  late  king's  brother,  under- 
took to  conduct  it  to  maturity. 

2.  William,  sensible  of  the  danger  that  threatened  him, 
endeavoured  to  gain  the  affections  of  the  native  English, 
"whom  he  prevailed  upon  by  promises  of  future  good  treat- 


46  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

ment,  and  preference  in  the  distribution  of  his  favours,  to 
espouse  his  interests.  3.  He  was  soon,  therefore,  in  the 
field  ;  and,  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  army,  showed  him- 
self in  readiness  to  oppose  all  who  should  dispute  his  pre- 
tensions. In  the  mean  time  Robert,  instead  of  employing 
himself  in  levies,  to  support  his  friends  in  England,  squan- 
dered his  resources  away  in  idle  expenses  and  unmerited 
benefits,  so  that  he  procrastinated  his  departure  till  the  op- 
portunity was  lost:  while  William  exerted  himself  with 
incredible  activity  to  dissipate  the  confederacy  before  his 
brother  could  arrive.  4.  Nor  was  this  difficult  to  effect ; 
the  conspirators  had,  in  consequence  of  Robert's  assurances, 
taken  possession  of  some  fortresses ;  but  the  appearance 
of  the  king  soon  reduced  them  to  implore  his  mercy.  He 
granted  them  their  lives;  but  confiscated  all  their  estates, 
and  banished  them  the  kingdom. 

5.  A  new  breach  was  made  some  time  after  between  the 
brothers,  on  which  Rufus  found  means  to  encroach  still 
farther  upon  Robert's  possessions.  Every  conspiracy  thus 
detected  served  to  enrich  the  king,  who  took  care  to  apply 
to  his  own  use  those  treasures  which  had  been  amassed  for 
the  purpose  of  dethroning  him. 

6.  (A.  D.  1097.)  But  the  memory  of  these  transient 
broils  and  unsuccessful  treasons,  was  now  totally  eclipsed 
by  one  of  the  most  noted  enterprises  that  ever  adorned  the 
annals  of  nations,  or  excited  the  attention  of  mankind  :  I 
mean  the  crusades,  which  were  now  first  projected.  Peter 
the  Hermit,  a  native  of  Amiens,  in  Picardy,  was  a  man  of 
great  zeal,  courage,  and  piety.  7.  He  had  made  a  pilgrimage 
to  the  holy  sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  and  beheld,  with  indig- 
nation, the  cruel  manner  in  which  the  Christians  were 
treated  by  the  infidels,  who  were  in  possession  of  that  place. 

He  preached  the  crusade  over  Europe,  by  the  pope's 
permission,  and  men  of  all  ranks  flew  to  arms  with  the 
utmost  alacrity  to  rescue  the  Holy  Land  from  the  infidels, 
and  each  bore  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  his  right  shoulder, 
as  a  mark  of  their  devotion  to  the  cause.  8.  In  the  midst 
of  the  universal  ardour  that  was  diffused  over  Europe,  men 
were  not  entirely  forgetful  of  their  temporal  interests;,  for 
some,. hoping  for  a  more  magnificent  settlement  in  the  soft 
regions  of  Asia,  sold  their  European  property  for  whatever 
they  could  obtain,  contented  with  receiving  any  thing  for 
what  they  were  predetermined  to  relinquish.  9.  Among 
the  princes  who  felt  and  acknowledged  this   general  spirit 


WILLIAM   RUFUS.  47 

of  enterprise,  was  Robert  duke  of  Normandy.  The  cru- 
sade was  entirely  adapted  to  his  inclinations  and  his  circum- 
stances; he  was  brave,  zealous,  covetous  of  glory,  poor, 
harassed  by  insurrections,  and  what  was  more  than  all,  na- 
turally fond  of  change.  In  order,  therefore,  to  supply  money 
to  defray  the  necessary  charges  of  so  expensive  an  under- 
taking, he  offered  to  mortgage  his  dukedom  in  Normandy 
to  his  brother  Rufus  for  a  stipulated  sum  of  money.  10. 
This  sum,  which  was  no  greater  than  ten  thousand  marks, 
was  readily  promised  by  Rufus,  whose  ambition  was  upon 
the  watch  to  seize  every  advantage. 

But  though  the  cession  of  Maine  and  Normandy  greatly 
increased  the  king's  territories,  they  added  but  little  to  his 
real  power,  and  his  new  subjects  were  composed  of  men 
of  independent  spirits,  more  ready  to  dispute  than  to  obey 
his  commands.  11.  Many  were  the  revolts  and  insurrec- 
tions which  he  was  obliged  to  quell  in  person ;  and  no 
sooner  was  one  conspiracy  suppressed,  than  another  rose  to 
give  him  disquietude. 

However,  Rufus  proceeded,  careless  of  approbation  or 
censure ;  and  continued  to  extend  his  dominions,  either  by 
purchase  or  conquest.  12. ,  The  earl  of  Poictiers  and 
Guienne,  inflamed  with  the  desire  of  going  upon  the  cru- 
sade, had  gathered  an  immense  multitude  for  that  expedi- 
tion, but  wanted  money  to  forward  his  preparations.  He 
had  recourse,  therefore,  to  Rufus,  and  offered  to  mortgage 
all  his  dominions,  without  much  considering  what  would 
become  of  his  unhappy  subjects  that  he  thus  disposed  of. 

13.  The  king  accepted  this  offer  with  his  usual  avidity, 
and  had  prepared  a  fleet  and  an  army,  in  order  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  rich  provinces  thus  consigned  to  his  trust. 
But  an  accident  put  an  end  to  all  his  ambitious  projects : 
he  was  shot  by  an  arrow  that  Sir  Walter  Tyrrel*  discharged 
at  a  deer  in  the  New  Forest,  which,  glancing  from  a  tree,f 
struck  the  king  to  the  heart.  14.  He  dropped  dead  instan- 
taneously ;  while  the  innocent  author  of  his  death,  terrified 

*  A  French  gentleman,  remarkable  for  his  skill  in  archery. 

t  It  is  a  no  less  interesting  historical  fact,  than  a  botanical  curiosity, 
abundantly  proving  the  longevity  of  the  oak,  that  this  celebrated  tree  is  now 
standing,  though  in  the  last  stage  of  decay,  near  Malwood  Castle,  in  the 
centre  of  the  New  Forest.    It  was  first  paled  round  by  an  order  of  Charles  II 

The  rampart  which  surrounds  the  Tower  of  London,  and  Westminster 
hall,  are  the  principal  monuments  which  remain  of  Rufus's  reign.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  forty-two  years  of  age,  and  had  reigned  thirteen. 


48 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


at  the  accident,  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  hastened  to  the  sea- 
shore, embarked  for  France,  and  joined  the  crusade  thai 
was  then  setting  out  for  Jerusalem. 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Victor  III 1086 

Urban  II 1088 

Pascal  II 1099 


Emperors  of  the  East. 

A.D. 

Alexis  1 1081 

Emperor  of  the  West. 
Henry  IV 1056 


King  of  France. 

A.D. 

Philip  1 1060 

King  of  Scotland. 
Donald  VIII 1068 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Lanfranc  and  Anselm,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.    Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux. 
Flamlard,  bishop  of  Durham. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  succeeded  William  the  Conqueror  ? 

2.  By  what  means  did  Rufus  induce  the  English  to  support  his  interest? 

3.  How  did  Robert  employ  his  money  ? 

5.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  king  on  the  detection  of  conspiracies 
against  him  ? 

7.  Relate  the  origin  of  the  crusades. 

9.  What  is  the  character  of  the  duke  of  Normandy  ? 
12.  Who  offered  to  mortgage  his  dominions  to  Rufus  ? 
?3.  What  caused  the  death  of  Rufus  ? 


HENRY   I.  49 


CHAPTER  VL 

HENRY  I. 

Born  5068.    Died  Dec.  2d.  1135.    Began  to  reign  August  5th.  1100.    Reigne* 
35  years. 
But  who  shall  teach  my  harp  to  gain 
A  sound  of  that  romantic  strain  ; 
Whose  Anglo-Norman  tones  whilere. 
Could  win  the  royal  Henry's  ear.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1100.)  Henry,  surnamed  Beauclerc,*  the 
late  king's  younger  brother,  who  had  been  hunting  in  the 
New  Forest  when  Rufus  was  slain,  took  the  earliest  ad- 
vantage of  the  occasion,  and  hastening  to  Winchester,  re- 
solved to  secure  the  royal  treasures,  whieh  he  knew  to  be 
the  best  assistant  in  seconding  his  aims.  The  barons,  as 
well  as  the  people,  acquiesced  in  a  claim  which  they  were 
unprovided  to  resist,  and  yielded  obedience,  from  the  fear 
of  immediate  danger. 

2.  Henry,  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  people,  expelled 
from  court  all  the  minister's  of  his  brothers  debauchery  and 
arbitrary  power.  One  thing  only  remained  to  confirm  his 
claims  without  danger  of  a  rival.  The  English  remembered 
the  Saxon  monarchs  with  gratitude,  and  beheld  them  ex- 
eluded  the  throne  with  regret.  3.  There  still  remained 
some  of  the  descendants  of  that  favourite  line  ;  and  amongst 
others,,  Matilda,  the  niece  of  Edgar  Atheling ;  which  lady, 
having  declined  all  pretensions  to  royalty,  was  bred  in  a 
eonvent,  and  had  actually  taken  the  veil.  4.  Upon  her 
Henry  first  fixed  his  eyes  as  %a  proper  consort,  by  whose 
means  the  long  breach  between  the  Saxon  and  Norman  in- 
terest would  be  finally  united.  It  only  remained  to  get  over 
the  scruple  of  her  being  a  nun;  but  this  a  council  devoted 
to  his  interests  readily  admitted,  and  Matilda  being  pro- 
nounced free  to  marry,  the  nuptials  were  celebrated  with 
great  pomp  and  solemnity.f 

5.  It  was  at  this  unfavourable  juncture  that  Robert  re- 
turned from  abroad;    and,  after  taking  possession  of  his 

*  "Henry  was  called  ' Beauclerc,'  from  his  attention  to  learning;  he  had 
heard  his  father  say,  that « Illiterate  kings  were  little  better  than  crowned 
asses,'  and  determined  not  to  come  under  that  description." — Camden. 

t  Queen  Matilda  was  the  delight  of  the  English,  both  on  account  of  her 
descent  and  goodness  of  heart.  To  her  we  owe  the  first  stone  arched  bridge* 
England  ever  possessed :  she  built  two  at  Stratford,  in  Essex,  (thence  called 
De  Arcubus,  or  Le  Bow),  where  she  had  nearly  been  drowned  for  want  of 
Mich  a  convenience. 

E 


?0  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

native  dominions,  laid  his  claim  to  the  crown  of  England. 
But  proposals  for  an  accommodation  being  made,  it  was 
stipulated  that  Robert,  upon  the  payment  of  a  certain  sum, 
should  resign  his  pretensions  to  England ;  and  that,  if 
either  of  the  princes  died  without  issue,  the  other  should 
succeed  to  his  dominions.  This  treaty  being  ratified,  the 
armies  on  each  side  were  disbanded :  and  Robert,  having 
lived  two  months  in  the  utmost  harmony  with  his  brother, 
returned  in  peace  to  his  own  dominions. 

6.  But  Robert's  indiscretion  soon  rendered  him  unfit  to 
govern  any  state ;  he  was  totally  averse  to  business,  and 
Dnly  studious  of  the  more  splendid  amusements  or  enjoy- 
ments of  life.  His  servants  pillaged  him  without  compunc- 
tion ;  and  he  is  described  as  lying  whole  days  in  bed  for 
want  of  clothes,  of  which  they  had  robbed  him*  7.  His 
subjects  were  treated  still  more  deplorably;  for,  being  under 
the  command  of  petty  and  rapacious  tyrants,  who  plundered 
them  without  mercy,  the  whole  country  was  become  a  scene 
of  violence  and  depredation.  It  was  in  this  miserable  exi- 
gence that  the  Normans  at  length  had  recourse  to  Henry, 
from  whose  wise  administration  of  his  own  dominions,  they 
expected  a  similitude  of  prosperity,  should  he  take  the 
reins  of  theirs.  8.  Henry  very  readily  promised  to  re- 
dress their  grievances,  as  he  knew  it  would  be  the  direct 
method  to  second  his  own  ambition.  The  year  ensuing, 
therefore,  he  landed  in  Normandy  with  a  strong  army,  took 
possession  of  the  principal  towns ;  and  a  battle  ensuing, 
Robert's  forces  were  totally  overthrown,  and  he  himself 
taken  prisoner,  with  nearly  ten  thousand  of  his  men,  and 
all  the  considerable  barons  who  had  adhered  to  his  misfor- 
tunes. 9.  This  victory  was  followed  by  the  final  reduction 
of  Normandy,  while  Henry  returned  in  triumph  to  England, 
leading  with  him  his  captive  brother,  who,  after  a  life  of 
bravery,  generosity,  and  truth,  now  found  himself  deprived 
not  only  of  his  patrimony  and  friends,  but  also  his  freedom. 
Henry,  unmindful  of  his  brother's  former  magnanimity  with 
regard  to  him,  detained  him  a  prisoner  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  which  was  no  less  than  twenty-eight  years  ;  and 
he  died  in  the  castle  of  Cardiff,  Glamorganshire.  10.  It 
is  even  said  by  some,  that  he  was  deprived  of  his  sight  by 
a  red-hot  copper  basin  applied  to  his  eyes  ;  while  his  brother 
attempted  to  stifle  the  reproaches  of  his  conscience,  by 
founding  the  abbey  of  Reading,  which  was  then  considered 
a,  sufficient  atonement  for  every  degree  of  barbarity. 


HENRY   I.  51 

i  1  Fortune  now  seemed  to  smile  upon  Henry,  and  pro- 
mise a  long  succession  of  felicity.  He  was  in  peaceable 
possession  of  two  powerful  states,  and  had  a  son,  who  was 
acknowledged  his  undisputed  heir,  arrived  at  his  eighteenth 
year,  whom  he  loved  most  tenderly.  His  daughter  Matilda 
was  also  married  to  the  emperor  Henry  V.  of  Germany, 
and  she  had  been  sent  to  that  court,  while  yet  but  eight  years 
old,  for  her  education.  12.  All  his  prospects,  however, 
were  at  once  clouded  by  unforeseen  misfortunes,  and  acci- 
dents, which  tinctured  his  remaining  years  with  misery. 
The  king,  from  the  facility  with  which  he  usurped  the 
crown,  dreading  that  his  family  might  be  subverted  with 
the  same  ease,  took  care  to  have  his  son  recognized  as  his 
successor  by  the  states  of  England,  and  carried  him  over  to 
Normandy,  to  receive  the  homage  of  the  barons  of  that 
duchy.  13.  After  performing  this  requisite  ceremony, 
Henry,  returning  triumphantly  to  England,  brought  with 
him  a  numerous  retinue  of  the  chief  nobility,  who  seemed 
to  share  in  his  success.  In  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  fleet, 
his  son  and  several  young  noblemen,  the  companions  of  his 
pleasures,  went  together,  to  render  the  passage  more  agree- 
able. The  king  set  sail  from  Harfleur,*  and  was  soon 
carried  by  a  fair  wind  out  of  sight  of  land.  14.  The  prince 
was  detained  by  some  accident ;  and  his  sailors,  as  well  as 
their  captain,  Fitz-Stephen,  having  spent  the  interval  iii 
drinking,  became  so  disordered,  that  they  ran  the  ship  upon 
a  rock,  and  immediately  it  was  dashed  to  pieces.  The 
prince  was  put  into  the  boat  and  might  have  escaped,  hafc 
he  not  been  called  back  by  the  cries  of  Maude,  his  natural 
sister.  He  was  at  first  conveyed  out  of  danger  himself,  but 
could  not  leave  a  person  so  dear  to  perish  without  an  effort 
to  save  her.  He,  therefore,  prevailed  upon  the  sailors  to  row 
back  and  take  her  in.  15.  The  approach  of  the  boat  giving 
several  others,  who  had  been  left  upon  the  wreck,  the  hopes 
of  saving  their  lives,  numbers  leaped  in,  and  the  whole 
went  to  the  bottom.  About  a  hundred  and  forty  young 
noblemen,  of  the  principal  families  of  England  and  Nor- 
mandy, were  lost  on  this  occasion.  A  butcher  of  Rouen 
was  the  Only  person  on  board  who  escaped  ;  he  clung  to 
the  mast,  and  was  taken  up  the  next  morning  by  some  fish- 
ermen. 16.  Fitz-Stephen,  the  captain,  while  the  butcher 
Was  thus  buffeting  the  waves  for  his  life,  swam  up  to  him 
and  enquired  if  the  prince  was  yet  living  ;  when  being  told 
*  A  town  of  Normandy  in  France. 


52 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


that  he  had  perished,  "  then  I  will  not  outlive  him,"  said 
the  captain,  and  immediately  sunk  to  the  bottom.  The 
shrieks  of  these  unfortunate  people  were  heard  from  the 
shore,  and  the  noise  even  reached  the  king's  ship,  but  the 
cause  was  then  unknown.  17.  Henry  entertained  hopes, 
for  three  days,  that  his  son  had  put  into  some  distant  port 
in  England  ;  but  when  certain  intelligence  of  the  calamity 
was  brought  to  him  he  fainted  away,  and  was  never  seen  to 
smile  from  that  moment  till  the  day  of  his  death,  which 
followed  some  time  after  at  St.  Dennis,  a  little  town  in  Nor- 
mandy, from  eating  too  plentifully  of  lampreys,  a  dish  he 
was  particularly  fond  of.  He  died  in  the  sixty-seventh 
year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-rifth  of  his  reign,  leaving  by 
will  his  daughter  Matilda  heiress  of  all  his  dominions. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Chi  the  death  of  Rufus,  what  was  the  conduct  of  Henry  ? 

2.  What  method  did  Henry  take  to  ingratiate  himself  in  his  subjects'  fa- 

vour? 

4.  To  whom  was  Henry  married  ? 

5.  Was  there  any  other  claimant  to  the  crown  of  England  ? 

6.  7.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Robert  at  this  time,  and  to  what  disasters 

did  it  lead  ? 
9.  In  what  way  was  the  captive  Robert  treated  by  his  brother  ? 

11.  What  was  the  situation  of  Henry  at  this  time  ? 

12.  For  what  purpose  did  Henry  carry  his  son  to  Normandy? 
15.  Relate  the  fatal  accident  that  befel  many  of  the  nobility. 
17.  What  was  the  cause  of  the  king's  death  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.         a.  d. 

Pascal  II 1099 

GelastiusII 1118 

CahxtusII 1119 

Honorius  II 1124 

Innocent  II 1130 

Emperors  of  the  East. 

Alexis  1 1081 


JohnComnenus. 


A.D. 

1118 


Emperor3  of  the  West. 

Henry  IV...". 1056 

Henry  V 1106 

Lotharius 1125 

Kings  of  France. 
Philip  1 1060 


A.D. 

Louis  VI 1108 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

Donald  VIII 1068 

Edgar 1108 

Alexander 1117 

David 1124 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Anselm  and  Radulph,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.  William  Cnto,  son  of 
duke  Robert  of  Normandy.  Robert  earl  of  Shrewsbury.  The  Empress 
Matilda.* 


*  She  was  the  only  daughter  and  surviving  legitimate  child  of  Henry : 
she  was  married  to  llenry  V.  emperor  of  Germany,  but  having  become  a 
widow  in  the  year  1126,  she  returned  to  her  father's  court,  and  continued  to 
receive  the  honorary  title  of  empress.    In  the  following  year  Henrv,  while 


STEPHEN.  53 

CHAPTER  VII. 

STEPHEN. 

Bora  1104.    Died  Oct.  25th,  1154.    Began  to  reign  Dec.  26th,  1135.    Reigned 

18$  years. 

Contending  armies  now  for  empire  fight, 

And  civil  war  distracts  Britannia's  isle ; 
Matilda  now  asserts  her  regal  right,— 

Now  dauntless  Stephen's  cause  is  seen  to  smile. 
Thus  mad  ambition  prompts  to  desperate  deeds. 
And,  for  a  phantom,  thus  a  nation  bleeds.  —  Macdonala 

1.  (A.  D.  1135.)  No  sooner  was  the  king  known  to  be 
dead,  than  Stephen,  son  of  Adela,  the  king's  sister,  and  the 
count  of  Blois,*  conscious  of  his  own  power  and  influence, 
resolved  to  secure  himself  the  possession  of  what  he  so  long 
desired.  He  speedily  hastened  from  Normandy,  and  ar- 
riving at  London,  was  immediately  saluted  king  by  all  the 
lower  ranks  of  people.  2.  Being  thus  secure  of  the  peo- 
ple, his  next  step  was  to  gain  over  the  clergy ;  and,  for  that 
purpose,  his  brother,  the  bishop  of  Winchester,  exerted  all 
his  influence  among  them  with  great  success. f  Thus  was 
Stephen  made  king  by  one  of  those  speedy  revolutions 
which  ever  mark  the  barbarity  of  a  state  in  which  they  are 
customary. 

3.  The  first  acts  of  an  usurper  are  always  popular.  Ste 
phen,  in  order  to  secure  his  tottering  throne,  passed  a  char 
ter,  granting  several  privileges  to  the  different  orders  of  the 
state  : — To  the  nobility  a  permission  to  hunt  in  their  own 
forests ;  to  the  clergy,  a  speedy  filling  of  all  vacant  bene- 
fices ;  and,  to  the  people,  a  restoration  of  the  laws  of  Ed- 
ward the  Confessor.  To  fix  himself  still  more  securely, 
he  took  possession  of  the  royal  treasures  at  Winchester, 
and  had  his  title  ratified  by  the  pope  with  a  part  of  the 
money. 

4.  It  was  not  long,  however,  that  Matilda  delayed  assert- 
ing her  claim  to  the  crown.     She  landed  upon  the  coast  of 

in  Normandy,  became  attached  to  Geoffry  Martel,  the  young  count  of  Anjou, 
who  had  changed  his  name  to  Plantagenet,  from  his  custom  of  wearing  in 
his  helmet  a  bunch  of  flowering  broom  (plante-de-genet)  instead  of  a  plume , 
not  content  with  becoming  his  godfather  in  chivalry,  the  king  resolved  that 
Matilda  should  receive  the  young  count  of  Anjou  as  her  second  husband. 
This  marriage  was  contracted  without  the  consent  of  the  estates  of  the  realms 
of  England  and  Normandy ;  being  therefore  deemed  illegal,  it  afforded  Ste- 
phen a  pretext  for  usurping  the  throne. — William  of  Malmesbury. 

*  A  city  in  France. 

t  "  Stephen  was  a  man  of  great  facetiousness,  and  much  of  his  success  I«? 
to  be  imputed  to  the  familiar  pleasantry  of  his  conversation." — William  o/ 
Malmesbury. 

E  2 


54  HISTORY    OF    EKGLAN0. 

Sussex,  assisted  by  Robert  earl  of  Gloucester,  natural  sou 
of  the  late  king.  The  whole  of  Matilda's  retinue,  upon 
this  occasion,  amounted  to  no  more  than  one  hundred  and 
forty  knights,  who  immediately  took  possession  of  Arundel 
castle  ;  but  the  nature  of  her  claim  soon  increased  the  num- 
ber of  her  partisans,  and  her  forces  every  day  seemed  to 
gain  ground  upon  those  of  her  antagonist.  5.  Mean  time. 
Stephen  being  assured  of  her  arrival,  flew  to  besiege  Arun- 
del, where  she  had  taken  refuge,  and  where  she  was  pro- 
tected by  the  queen  dowager,  who  secretly  favoured  her 
pretensions.  This  fortress  was  too  feeble  to  promise  a  long 
defence  ;  and  would  have  soon  been  taken  had  it  not  been 
represented  to  the  king  that,  as  it  was  a  castle  belonging  to 
the  queen  dowager,  it  would  be  an  infringement  on  the  re- 
spect due  to  her  to  attempt  taking  it  by  force 

6.  There  was  a  spirit  of  generosity  mixed  with  the  rude- 
ness of  the  times  that  unaccountably  prevailed  in  many 
transactions.  Stephen  permitted  Matilda  to  come  forth  in 
safety,  and  had  her  conveyed  with  security  to  Bristol, 
another  fortress  equally  strong  with  that  from  which  he 
permitted  her  to  retire.  7.  It  would  be  tedious  to  relate  the 
various  skirmishes  on  either  side,  in  pursuance  of  their  re- 
spective pretensions ;  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  Matilda's 
forces  increased  every  day,  while  her  antagonist  seemed 
every  hour  to  become  weaker  :  and  a  victory  gained  by  the 
queen  threw  Stephen  from  the  throne  into  a  prison,  and 
exalted  Matilda  in  his  room.  Matilda  was  crowned  at 
Winchester  with  all  imaginable  solemnity. 

8.  Matilda,  however,  was  unfit  for  government.  She 
afTected  to  treat  the  nobility  with  a  degree  of  disdain  to 
which  they  had  long  been  unaccustomed  ;  so  that  the  fickle 
nation  once  more  began  to  pity  their  deposed  king,  and 
repent  the  steps  they  had  taken  in  her  favour.  The  bishop 
of  Winchester  was  not  remiss  in  fomenting  these  discon- 
tents ;  and  when  he*  found  the  people  ripe  for  a  tumult, 
detached  a  party  of  his  friends  and  vassals  to  block  up  the 
city  of  London,  where  the  queen  then  resided.  9.  At  the 
same  time  measures  were  taken  to  instigate  the  Londoners 
to  a  revolt,  and  to  seize  her  person.  Matilda,  having  timely 
notice  of  this  conspiracy,  fled  to  Winchester,  whither  the 
bishop,  still  her  secret  enemy,  followed  her,  watching  an 
opportunity  to  ruin  her  cause.  His  party  was  soon  suf- 
ficiently strong  to  bid  the  queen  open  defiance,  and  to  be- 
siege her  in   the  very  place  where  she  first  received  his 


STEPHEN. 


65 


Imprisonment  of  king  Stephen. 

benediction.  10.  There  she  continued  for  some  time  ;  but 
the  town  being  pressed  by  a  famine,  she  was  obliged  to 
escape  ;  while  her  brother,  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  endea- 
vouring to  follow,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  exchanged  for 
Stephen,  who  still  continued  a  captive.  Thus  a  sudden 
revolution  once  more  took  place ;  Matilda  was  deposed,  and 
obliged  to  seek  for  safety  in  Oxford.  Stephen  was  again 
recognized  as  the  king,  and  taken  from  his  dungeon  to  be 
replaced  on  the  throne. 

11.  But  he  was  now  to  enter  the  lists  with  a  new  op- 
poser,  who  was  every  day  coming  to  maturity,  and  growing 
more  formidable.  This  was  Henry,  the  son  of  Matilda, 
who  had  now  reached  his  sixteenth  year;  and  gave  the 
greatest  hopes  of  being  one  day  a  valiant  leader  and  a  con- 
summate politician. 

12.  With  the  wishes  of  the  people  in  his  favour,  young 
Henry  was  resolved  to  claim  his  hereditary  kingdom,  and 
to  dispute  once  more  Stephen's  usurped  pretensions ;  he  ac- 
cordingly made  an  invasion  on  England,  where  he  was  im- 
mediately joined  by  almost  all  the  barons  of  the  kingdom. 

13.  In  the  mean  time,  Stephen,  alarmed  at.  the  power 
and  popularity  of  his  young  rival,  tried  every  method  to 
anticipate  the  purpose  of  an  invasion  ;  but  finding  it  im- 
possible to  turn  the  torrent,  he  was  obliged  to  have  recourse 
to  treaty.  It  was,  therefore,  agreed,  by  all  parties,  that 
Stephen  should  reign  during  his  life ;  and  that  justice  should 


56 


HISTORY    OP    ENGLAND. 


be  administered  in  his  name :  that  Henry  should,  on  Ste« 
phen's  death,  succeed  to  the  kingdom ;  and  William,  Ste- 
phen's son,  should  inherit  Boulogne  and  his  patrimonial 
estate.  14.  After  all  the  barons  had  sworn  to  this  treaty, 
which  filled  the  whole  kingdom  with  joy,  Henry  evacuated 
England ;  and  Stephen  returned  to  the  peaceful  enjoyment 
of  his  throne.  His  reign,  however,  was  soon  after  termin- 
ated by  his  death,  which  happened  about  a  year  after  the 
treaty,  at  Canterbury,  where  he  was  interred. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  Who  succeeded  Henry  the  first? 

2.  What  measures  were  taken  to  secure  the  throne  ? 

3.  What  were  the  first  acts  of  Stephen  ? 

4.  Was  there  no  opposition  to  Stephen  ? 

6.  What  was  Stephen's  conduct  towards  Matilda  ? 

7.  Did  Matilda  succeed  in  recovering  the  throne  ? 

8.  Had  Matilda's  conduct  any  serious  consequences  ? 

10.  Whither  did  Matilda  flee  tor  safety  ? 
In  what  manner  did  she  escape  ? 

1 1.  Had  Stephen  any  new  opposer  ? 

12.  Who  joined  Henry  when  he  invaded  England  ? 

13.  Of  what  nature  was  the  treaty  between  the  two  parties? 


Popes.  A.D. 

Celestinell 1143 

Lucius  II 1144 

Eugenius  III 1145 

Anastasius  IV 1 153 

Adrian  IV 1154 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
John  Comnenus. ...  1118 


rEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 

A.D. 

Man.  Comnenus...  1143 
Emperors  of  the  West. 

Kings  of  France. 

A.D. 

Louis  VI 1108 

Louis  VII 1137 

Lothaire  II 1125 

Conrad  III 1138 

Frederic  1 1152 

King  of  Scotland. 
David  1 1124 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


John  of  Salisbury,  Henry  of  Huntingdon,  Roger  de  Hoveden,  Geoffrey  of 
Monmouth,  (historians.)  Curboil  and  Theobald,  archhishops  of  Canterbury. 
Thurston,  archbishop  of  York,  and  lieutenant  to  the  king,  who  appointed 
Ralph,  bishop  of  Durham,  his  general  against  the  Scots.  Robert,  Earl  of 
Gloucester,  Ranulph,  earl  of  Chester. 


HENRY   II.  57 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

HENRY  II. 

Born  1133.    Died  July  6th,  1189.    Began  to  reign  Dec.  8th,  1154.*    Eeigned 
34$  years. 

SECTION  I. 

With  thee,  Plantagenet,  from  civil  broils 
The  land  awhile  respired,  and  all  wai  peace; 
Then  Becket  rose,  and  impotent  of  mind, 
<  Bid  murd'rous  priests  the  sov'reign  frown  contemn, 

And,  with  unhallow'd  Crozier,  bruised  the  crown.  —  Shenstone* 

1.  (A.  1).  1155.)  The  first  act  of  Henry's  government 
gave  the  people  a  happy  omen  of  his  future  wise  adminis- 
tration. Conscious  of  his  power,  he  began  to  correct  those 
abuses,  and  to  resume  those  privileges,  which  had  been 
extorted  from  the  weakness  or  the  credulity  of  his  pre- 
decessors. He  immediately  dismissed  those  mercenary 
soldiers  who  committed  infinite  disorders  in  the  nation. 
2.  He  resumed  many  of  those  benefactions  which  had  been 
made  to  churches  and  monasteries  in  the  former  reigns. 
He  gave  charters  to  several  towns,  by  which  the  citizens 
claimed  Iheir  freedom  and  privileges,  independent  of  any 
superior  but  himself.  These  charters  were  the  ground- 
work of  English  liberty.  The  struggles  which  had  before 
this  time  been,  whether  the  king,  or  the  barons,  or  the 
clergy,  should  be  despotic  over  the  people,  now  began  to 
assume  a  new  aspect;  and  a  fourth  order,  namely,  that  of 
the  more  opulent  of  the  people,  began  to  claim  a  share  in 
administration.  Thus  was  the  feudal  government  first 
impaired;  and  liberty  began  to  be  more  equally  diffused 
throughout  the  nation. 

4.  Henry  being  thus  become  the  most  powerful  prince 
of  his  age,  the  undisputed  monarch  of  England,  possessed 
of  more  than  a  third  of  France,  and  having  humbled  the 
barons  that  would  circumscribe  his  power,  he  might  na- 
turally be  expected  to  reign  with  very  little  opposition  *br 
the  future.  But  it  happened  otherwise.  He  found  the 
seveiest  mortifications  from  a  quarter  where  he  least  ex- 
pected resistance. 

5  The  famous  Thomas  a  Becket,  the  first  man  of  Eng- 
lish extraction  who  had,  since  the  Norman  conquest,  risen 
to  any  share  of  power,  was  the  son  of  a  citizen  of  London. 

*  He  was  on  the  continent  at  the  time  of  Stephen's  death,  and  tho 
commencement  of  his  reign  is  dated  from  the  day  of  his  landing  in  England 


58  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Having  received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  that 
metropolis,  he  resided  some  time  at  Paris ;  and,  on  his 
return,  became  clerk  in  the  sheriffs  office.  From  that 
humble  station  he  rose,  through  the  gradations  of  office, 
until  at  last  he  was  made  archbishop  of  Canterbury — a 
dignity  second  only  to  that  of  the  king.* 

6.  No  sooner  was  he  fixed  in  this  high  station,  which 
rendered  him  for  life  the  second  person  in  the  kingdom, 
than  he  endeavoured  to  retrieve  the^  character  of  sanctity 
which  his  former  levities  might  have  appeared  to  oppose 
He  was  in  his  person  the  most  mortified  man  that  could  be 
seen.  He  wore  sackcloth  next  his  skin.  He  changed  it 
so  seldom,  that  it  was  filled  with  dirt  and  vermin.  His 
usual  diet  was  bread ;  his  drink  water,  which  he  rendered 
farther  unpalatable,  by  the  mixture  of  unsavory  herbs. 
7.  His  back  was  mangled  with  frequent  discipline.  He 
every  day  washed  on  his  knees  the  feet  of  thirteen  beggars. 
Thus  pretending  to  sanctity,  he  set  up  for  being  a  defender 
of  the  privileges  of  the  clergy,  which  had  for  a  long  time 
been  enormous,  and  which  it  was  Henry's  aim  to  abridge. 

8.  An  opportunity  soon  offered,  and  gave  him  a  popular 
pretext  for  beginning  his  intended  reformation.  A  man  in 
holy  orders  had  debauched  the  daughter  of  a  gentleman  in 
Worcestershire ;  and  then  murdered  the  father  to  prevent 

*  The  parentage  of  this  extraordinary  man  was  truly  romantic.  His  fa- 
ther, Gilbert  Beck,  or  Becket,  while  serving  as  a  private  soldier  in  Palestine, 
was  taken  prisoner  by  a  Saracen  chief.  He  had  the  good  fortune  to  engage 
the  affections  of  his  master's  daughter,  and  by  her  aid  made  his  escape.  She 
soon  after  took  the  desperate  resolution  of  quitting  her  home  and  country  in 
search  of  the  object  of  her  love,  and  though  the  only  two  words  of  any 
western  language  which  she  knew  were  London  and.  Gilbert,  set  out  for 
Europe.  By  the  aid  of  the  former  word  she  secured  a  passage  on  board  an 
English  vessel ;  and  when  she  was  landed  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  she 
ran  from  street  to  street,  calling  out  the  latter  name,  until  chance  brought  her 
into  the  presence  of  Gilbert  himself.  The  strangeness  of  the  event  excited 
universal  attention,  and  the  young  Saracen,  after  being  baptized  by  the 
Christian  name  of  Matilda,  became  the  wife  of  Gilbert  Becket.  Thomas 
was  their  eldest  son,  and  was  educated  in  all  the  learning  and  accomplish- 
ments of  the  age.  fie  was  in  early  life  taken  under  the  patronage  of  Thibaut, 
or  Theobald,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  bv  the  favour  of  that  prelate 
was  permitted  to  enjoy  indulgences  which  the  Norman  conquerors  had  pro- 
hibited to  all  of  Saxon  descent.  During  the  reign  of  Stephen,  Becket  and  his 
patron  were  warm  supporters  of  Henry's  claim  to  the  English  crown,  and  in 
consequence  he  was  rewarded  at  the  commencement  of  the  new  reign  with 
the  high  office  of  chancellor  of  England.  In  this  situation  he  was  distin- 
guished by  his  zeal  in  defence  of  the  royal  prerogative,  and  by  the  extrava- 
gant pomp  and  luxury  of  his  establishment.  Henry  believing  that  the 
companion  of  his  games,  his  wars,  and  even  his  debaucheries,  would  be 
subservient  to  his  desires  of  limiting  the  power  of  the  church,  elevated 
Becket  to  t.ie  see  of  Canterbury,  but  found  too  late  that  he  had  only  given 
\  o  the  holy  see  a  zealous  champion,  and  to  himself  a  dangerous  antagonist. 


HENRY    II.  59 

the  effects  of  his  resentment.  The  atrociousness  of  the 
crime  produced  a  spirit  of  indignation  among  the  people ; 
and  the  king  insisted  that  the  assassin  should  be  tried  by 
the  civil  magistrate.  This  Becket  opposed,  alleging  the 
privileges  of  the  church. 

9.  In  order  to  determine  this  matter,  the  king  summoned 
a  general  council  of  the  nobility  and  prelates  at  Clarendon, 
to  whom  he  submitted  this  great  and  important  affair,  and 
desired  their  concurrence.  These  councils  seem  at  that 
time  convened  rather  to  give  authenticity  to  the  king's  de- 
crees, than  to  enact  laws  that  were  to  bind  their  posterity. 
A.  number  of  regulations  were  then  drawn  up,  which  were 
afterwards  well  known  under  the  title  of  the  Constitutions 
of  Clarendon,  and  were  then  voted  without  opposition. 
10.  By  these  regulations  it  was  enacted,  that  clergymen 
accused  of  any  crime  should  be  tried  in  the  civil  courts  ; 
that  laymen  should  not  be  tried  in  the  spiritual  courts,  ex- 
cept by  legal  and  reputable  witnesses.  These,  with  some 
others  of  less  consequence,  or  implied  in  the  above,  to  the 
number  of  sixteen,  were  readily  subscribed  to  by  all  the 
bishops  present :  Becket  himself,  who  at  first  showed  some 
reluctance,  added  his  name  to  the  number.  But  Alexander, 
who  was  then  pope,  condemned  them  in  the  strongest 
terms  ;  abrogated,  annulled,  and  rejected  them. 

11.  This  produced  a  contest  between  the  king  and 
Becket,  who,  having  attained  the  highest  honours  the 
monarch  could  bestow,  took  part  with  his  holiness.  In  the 
midst  of  this  dispute,  Becket,  with  an  intrepidity  peculiar 
to  himself,  arraying  himself  in  his  episcopal  vestments, 
and  with  the  cross  in  his  hand,  went  forward  to  the  king's 
palace,  and,  entering  the  royal  apartments,  sat  down,  hold- 
ing up  his  cross  as  his  banner  of  protection.  12.  There 
he  put  himself,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  supreme  pontiff;  and,  upon  receiving  a  re- 
fusal of  permission  to  leave  the  kingdom,  he  secretly  with- 
drew in  disguise,  and  at  last  found  means  to  cross  over  to 
the  continent. 

The  intrepidity  of  Becket,  joined  to  his  apparent  sanc- 
tity, gained  him  a  favourable  reception  upon  the  continent; 
both  from  the  people  and  the  governors. 

13.  The  pope  and  he  were  not  remiss  to  retort  their  ful- 
minations,  and  to  shake  the  very  foundation  of  the  king's 
authority.  Becket  compared  himself  to  Christ,  who  had 
been  condemned  by  a  lay  tribunal,  and  who  was  crucified 


60  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

anew  in  the  present  oppressions,  under  which  the  church 
laboured.  But  he  did  not  rest  in  complaints  only.  14.  He 
issued  out  a  censure,  excommunicating  the  king's  chief 
ministers  by  name,  all  that  were  concerned  in  sequestering 
the  revenues  of  his  see,  and  all  who  obeyed  or  favoured  the 
constitutions  of  Clarendon. 

Frequent  attempts  indeed  were  made  towards  an  accom- 
modation ;  but  the  mutual  jealousies  which  each  bore  the 
other,  and  their  anxiety  not  to  lose  the  least  advantage  in 
the  negociation,  often  protracted  this  desirable  treaty. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  were  the  first  acts  of  Henry's  power  ? 

2.  What  was  the  ground-work  of  English  liberty  ? 

4.  Describe  the  possessions  of  Henry  at  this  time. 

5.  Who  was  Thomas  a  Becket  ? 

How  did  he  rise  to  be  archbishop  of  Canterbury  ? 

6.  What  was  the  character  and  manner  of  life  of  Becket  ? 
9.  What  proceeding  took  place  at  the  council  of  Clarendon  ? 

10.  What  were  these  regulations  ? 

11,  12.  Describe  Becket's  conduct  in  the  king's  palace. 

13.  To  whom  did  Becket  compare  himself?  and  why? 

14.  How  did  Becket  act  ? 


SECTION  II. 

Still  most  that  tongue  some  wounding  message  bring, 
And  still  thy  priestly  pride  provoke  thy  king.  —  Pope. 

1.  (A.  D.  1170.)  At  length,  however,  the  mutual  aim 
of  both  made  a  reconciliation  necessary  ;  but  nothing  could 
exceed  the  insolence  with  which  Becket  conducted  himself 
upon  his  first  landing  in  England.  Instead  of  retiring 
quietly  to  his  diocese,  with  that  modesty  which  became  a 
man  just  pardoned  by  his  king,  he  made  a  progress  through 
Kent,  in  all  the  splendour  and  magnificence  of  a  sovereign 
pontiff.  2.  As  he  approached  Southwark,  the  clergy,  the 
laity,  men  of  all  ranks  and  ages,  came  forth  to  meet  him, 
and  celebrated  his  triumphal  entry  with  hymns  of  joy. 
Thus  confident  of  the  voice  and  hearts  of  the  people,  he 
began  to  launch  forth  his  thunders  against  those  who  had 
been  his  former  opposers.  The  archbishop  of  York,  who 
had  crowned  Henry's  eldest  son  in  his  absence,  was  the 
first  against  whom  he  denounced  sentence  of  suspension. 
3.  The  bishops  of  London  and  Salisbury  he  actually  ex- 
communicated. One  man  he  excommunicated  for  having 
spoken  against  him ;  and  another  for  having  cut  off  the 
tail  of  one  of  his  horses. 


HENRY    II . 


61 


Death  of  Thomas  a  Becket. 

Henry  was  then  in  Normandy,  while  the  primate  was 
thus  triumphantly  parading  through  the  kingdom  ;  and  it 
was  not  without  the  utmost  indignation  that  he  received 
information  of  his  turbulent  insolence.  4.  When  the  sus- 
pended and  excommunicated  prelates  arrived  with  their 
complaints,  his  anger  knew  no  bounds.  He  broke  forth 
into  the  most  acrimonious  expressions  against  that  arrogant 
churchman,  whom  he  had  raised  from  the  lowest  station  to 
be  the  plague  of  his  life,  and  the  continual  disturber  of  his 
government.  The  archbishop  of  York  remarked  to  him, 
that  so  long  as  Becket  lived,  he  could  never  expect  to  enjoy 
peace  or  tranquillity:  and  the  king  himself  burst  out  into 
an  exclamation,  that  he  had  no  friends  about  him,  or  he 
would  not  so  long  have  been  exposed  to  the  insults  of  that 
ungrateful  hypocrite.*  5.  These  words  excited  the  atten- 
tion of  the  whole  court,  and  armed  four  of  his  resolute 
attendants  to  gratify  their  monarch's  secret  inclinations. 
The  conspirators  being  joined  by  some  assistance  at  the 
place  of  their  meeting,  proceeded  to  Canterbury  with  all 
that  haste  their  bloody  intentions  required.     6.  Advancing 


*  The  words  made  use  of  by  the  king  on  this  occasion  are  said  to  be  as 
follow : — "  '  Is  there  not  one  of  the  crew  of  lazy,  cowardly  knights,  whom  I 
maintain,  that  will  rid  me  of  this  turbulent  priest,  who  came  to  court  but 
t'other  day  on  a  lame  horse,  with  nothing  but  his  wallet  behind  him  V  Thia 
speech  unfortunately  animated  to  action  Reginald  Fitzurse,  William  de 
Tracy,  Hugh  de  Morvil,  and  Richard  Brito." — Berington's  Life  of  Thomas 
ct  Becket. 


62  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

directly  to  Becket's  house,  and  entering  his  apartment,  they 
reproached  him  very  fiercely  for  the  rashness  and  insolence 
of  his  conduct.  During  the  altercation,  the  time  approached 
for  Becket  to  assist  at  vespers,  whither  he  went  unguarded, 
the  conspirators  following,  and  preparing  for  their  attempt. 
7.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the  altar,  where  it  is  just  to  think 
he  aspired  to  the  glory  of  martyrdom,  they  all  fell  upon 
him;  and  having  cloven  his  head  with  repeated  blows,  he 
dropped  down  dead  before  the  altar  of  St.  Benedict,*  which 
was  besmeared  with  his  blood  and  brains. 

8.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  king's  consternation  upon 
receiving  the  -first  news  of  this  prelate's  catastrophe.  He 
was  instantly  sensible  that  the  murder  would  be  ultimately 
imputed  to  him  :  and  at  length,  in  order  to  divert  the  minds 
of  the  people  to  a  different  object,  he  undertook  an  expedi- 
tion to  Ireland.     A.  D.  1172. 

9.  Ireland  was  at  that  time  in  pretty  much  the  same 
situation  that  England  had  been  after  the  first  invasion  of 
the  Saxons.  They  had  been  early  converted  to  Christianity ; 
and  for  three  or  four  centuries  after  possessed  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  learning  of  the  times.  Being  undisturbed 
by  foreign  invasions,  and  perhaps  too  poor  to  invite  the  ra- 
pacity of  conquerors,  they  enjoyed  a  peaceful  life,  which 
they  gave  up  to  piety,  and  such  learning  as  was  then  thought 
necessary  to  promote  it.  10.  Of  their  learning,  their  arts, 
their  piety ,,  and  even  their  polished  manners,  too  many 
monuments  remain  to  this  day  for  us  to  make  the  least 
doubt  concerning  them  ;  but  it  is  equally  true,  that  in  time 
they  fell  from  these  advantages ;  their  degenerate  posterity, 
at  the  period  we  are  now  speaking  of,  were  wrapped  in  the 
darkest  barbarity. 

11.  At  the  time  when  Henry  first  planned  the  invasion 
of  the  island,  it  was  divided  into  five  principalities  ;  namely, 
Leinster,  Meath,  Munster,  Ulster,  and  Connaught ;  each 
governed  by  its  respective  monarch.  As  it  had  been  usual 
for  one  or  other  of  those  to  take  the  lead  in  the  wars,  he 
was  denominated  sole  monarch  of  the  kingdom,  and  pos- 
sessed of  power  resembling  that  of  the  early  Saxon  mo- 
narchs  in  England.  Roderic  O'Connor,  king  of  Connaught, 
was  then  advanced  to  this  dignity,  and  Dermot  M'Morrough 
was  king  of  Leinster.  12.  This  last-named  prince,  a  weak, 
licentious  tyrant,  had  carried  off  the  daughter  of  the  king  of 

*  St  Benedict,  the  founder  of  the  religious  order  which  bears  his  naire 
was  bom  in  Italy  about  the  year  480,  and  early  embraced  a  solitary  life. 


HENRY   II.  63 

Meath,  who,  being  strengthened  by  the  alliance  of  the  king 
of  Connaught,  invaded  Dermot's  dominions,  and  expelled 
him  from  his  kingdom.  The  prince,  thus  justly  punished, 
had  recourse  to  Henry,  who  was  at  that  time  in  Guienne  ; 
and  offered  to  hold  his  kingdom  of  the  English  crown,  in 
case  he  recovered  it  by  the  king's  assistance.  13.  Henry 
readily  accepted  the  offer ;  but  being  at  that  time  embarras- 
sed by  more  near  interests,  he  only  gave  Dermot  letters  pa- 
tent, by  which  he  empowered  all  his  subjects  to  aid  the  Irish 
prince  in  the  recovery  of  his  dominions.  Dermot,  relying 
on  this  authority,  returned  to  Bristol,  where,  after  some  dif- 
ficulty, he  formed  a  treaty  with  Richard,  surnamed  Strong- 
bow,  earl  of  Pembroke,  who  agreed  to  reinstate  him  in  his 
dominions,  upon  condition  of  his  being  married  to  his 
daughter  Eva,  and  declared  heir  of  all  his  territory.  14. 
Being  thus  assured  of  assistance,  he  returned  privately  to 
Ireland,  and  concealed  himself  during  the  winter  in  the 
monastery  of  Ferns,  which  he  had  founded.  Robert  Fitz- 
stephens  was  the  first  knight  who  was  able,  in  the  ensuing 
spring,  to  fulfil  his  engagements,  by  landing  with  a  hundred 
and  thirty  knights,  sixty  esquires,  and  three  hundred  arch- 
ers. 15.  They  were  soon  after  joined  by  Maurice  Pender- 
gast,  who,  about  the  same  time,  brought  over  ten  knights  and 
sixty  archers  ;  and  with  this  small  body  of  forces  they  re- 
solved on  beseiging  Wexford,  which  was  to  be  theirs  by 
treaty.  The  town  was  quickly  reduced ;  and  the  adven- 
turers being  reinforced  by  another  body  of  men  to  the  amount 
of  a  hundred  and  fifty,  under  the  command  of  Maurice  Fitz- 
gerald, composed  an  army  that  struck  the  barbarous  natives 
with  awe.  16.  Roderic,  the  chief  monarch  of  the  island, 
ventured  to  oppose  them,  but  he  was  defeated  ;  and  soon 
after  the  prince  of  Ossory  was  obliged  to  submit,  and  give 
hostages  for  his  future  conduct. 

17.  Dermot  being  thus  reinstated  in  his  hereditary  do- 
minions, soon  began  to  conceive  hopes  of  extending  the  limits 
of  his  power,  and  making  himself  master  of  Ireland.  With 
these  views  he  endeavoured  to  expedite  Strongbow,  who, 
being  personally  prohibited  by  the  king,  was  not  yet  come 
over.  Dermot  tried  to  inflame  his  ambition  by  the  glory  of 
the  conquest,  and  his  avarice  by  the  advantages  it  would 
procure.  He  expatiated  on  the  cowardice  of  the  natives, 
and  the  certainty  of  his  success.  18.  Strongbow  first  sent 
over  Raymond,  one  of  his  retinue,  with  ten  knights  and 
seventy  archers  ;  and  receiving  permission  shortly  after  for 


64  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

himself,  he  landed  with  two  hundred  horse  and  a  hundred 
archers.  All  these  English  forces,  now  joining  together, 
became  irresistible  ;  and  though  the  whole  number  did  not 
amount  to  a  thousand,  yet  such  was  the  barbarous  state  of 
the  natives,  that  they  were  everywhere  put  to  the  rout.  The 
city  of  Waterford  quickly  surrendered ;  Dublin  was  taken 
by  assault ;  and  Strongbow  soon  after  marrying  Eva,  accord- 
ing to  treaty,  became  master  of  the  kingdom  of  Leinster 
upon  Dermot's  decease. 

19.  The  island  being  thus  in  a  manner  wholly  subdued, 
for  nothing  was  capable  of  opposing  the  further  progress  of 
the  English  arms,  Henry  became  willing  to  share  in  person 
those  honours  which  the  adventurers  had  already  secured. 
20.  He,  therefore,  shortly  after  landed  in  Ireland,  at  the 
head  of  five  hundred  knights  and  some  soldiers  ;  not  so 
much  to  conquer  a  disputed  territory,  as  to  take  possession 
of  a  kingdom.  Thus,  after  a  trifling  effort,  in  which  very 
little  money  was  expended,  and  little  blood  shed,  that  beau- 
tiful island  became,  as  it  stills  continues  to  be,  an  appendage 
to  the  British  crown. 


Questions  for  Examination. 
2,  3.  How  did  Becket  conduct  himself  on  his  return  to  England  ? 

4.  In  what  manner  did  Henry  receive  the  complaints  of  Becket's  insolence  ? 

5,  6.  What  was  the  consequence  of  Henry's  resentment  ? 

7.  By  what  means  did  Henry  divert  the  minds  of  the  people  ? 
9, 10.  What  was  the  situation  of  Ireland  at  this  time  ? 

1 1.  By  whom  was  it  governed  ? 

12.  What  occasioned  the  interference  of  Henry  ? 

13.  What  followed  this  interference  ? 

15.  What  further  means  were  taken  to  subdue  Ireland  ? 

18.  What  was  the  success  of  the  English  on  their  invading  Ireland  ? 

20.  For  what  purpose  did  Henry  go  to  Ireland  ? 


SECTION  III. 

A  maid  unmatch'd  in  manners  as  in  face, 

Skill'd  in  each  art,  and  crown'd  with  every  grace.  —  Pope. 

1.  (A.D.  1173.)  The  joy  which  this  conquest  diffused 
was  very  great ;  but  troubles  of  a  domestic  nature  served  to 
render  the  remainder  of  Henry's  life  a  scene  of  turbulence 
and  disquietude. 

Young  Harry,  the  king's  eldest  son,  was  taught  to  believe 
himself  injured,  when,  upon  being  crowned  as  partner  in 
the  kingdom,  he  was  not  admitted  into  a  share  of  the  admi- 
nistration. 2.  His  discontents  were  shared  by  his  brothers 
Geoffrey  and  Richard,  whom  the  queen  persuaded  to  assert 


HfcXRY   II.  65 


,       Henry  IT.  on.  his  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury. 

their  titles  to  the  territories  assigned  them.  Queen  Eleanor 
herself  was  meditating  an  escape  to  the  court  of  France, 
whither  her  sons  had  retired,  and  had  put  on  man's  apparel 
for  that  purpose,  when  she  was  seized  by  the  king's  order 
and  put  in  confinement.  3.  Thus  Henry  saw  all  his  long 
perspective  of  future  happiness  totally  clouded  ;  his  sons 
scarcely  yet  arrived  at  manhood,  eager  to  share  the  spoils  of 
their  father's  possessions  ;  his  queen  warmly  encouraging 
these  undutiful  princes  in  their  rebellion  ;  and  many  poten- 
tates of  Europe  not  ashamed  to  lend  them  assistance  to  sup- 
port these  pretensions. 

4.  It  was  not  long  before  the  young  princes  had  sufficient 
influence  upon  the  continent  to  raise  a  powerful  confederacy 
in  their  favour.  Henry,  therefore,  knowing  the  influence  of 
superstition  over  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  perhaps  ap- 
prehensive that  a  part  of  his  troubles  arose  from  the  displea- 
sure of  heaven,  resolved  to  do  penance  at  the  shrine  of  St. 
Thomas,  at  Canterbury,  for  that  was  the  name  given  to 
Becket  upon  his  canonization.  As  soon  as  he  came  within 
sight  of  the  church  of  Canterbury,  alighting  from  his  horse, 
he  walked  barefoot  towards  the  town,  and  prostrated  himself 
before  the  shrine*  of  the  saint.  Next  day  he  received  abso- 
lution ;  and,  departing  for  London,  was  acquainted  with  the 

*  Here  he  was  scourged  by  the  monks,  and  passed  the  whole  day  and  nighi 
asting  on  the  bare  stones 

f2 


66  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

agreeable  news  of  a  victory  over  the  Scots,  obtained  on  the 
very  day  of  his  absolution. 

5.  From  that  time  Henry's  affairs  began  to  wear  a  better 
aspect :  the  barons,  who  had  revolted,  or  were  preparing  for 
a  revolt,  made  instant  submission ;  they  delivered  up  their 
castles  to  the  victor ;  and  England,  in  a  few  weeks,  was  re- 
stored to  perfect  tranquillity.  6.  Young  Henry,  who  was 
ready  to  embark  with  a  large  army,  to  second  the  efforts  of 
the  English  insurgents,  finding  all  disturbances  quieted  a 
home,  abandoned  all  thoughts  of  the  expedition.  This 
prince  died  soon  after,  in  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  age, 
of  a  fever,  at  Martel,  not  without  the  deepest  remorse  for 
his  undutiful  conduct  towards  his  father. 

7.  As  this  prince  left  no  posterity,  Richard  was  become 
heir  in  his  room  ;  and  he  soon  discovered  the  same  ardent 
ambition  that  had  misled  his  elder  brother.  A  crusade  hav- 
ing been  once  more  projected,  Richard,  who  had  long  wished 
to  have  all  the  glory  of  such  an  expedition  to  himself,  and 
who  could  not  bear  to  have  even  his  father  a  partner  in  his 
victories,  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  the  king  of  France, 
who  promised  to  confirm  him  in  those  wishes  at  which  he 
so  .ardently  aspired.  8.  By  this,  Henry  found  himself 
obliged  to  give  up  all  hopes  of  taking  the  cross,  and  com- 
pelled to  enter  upon  a  war  with  France  and  his  eldest  son, 
who  were  unnaturally  leagued  against  him. 

9.  At  last,  however,  a  treaty  was  concluded,  in  which  he 
was  obliged  to  submit  to  many  mortifying  concessions  :  but 
still  more  so,  when,  upon  demanding  a  list  of  the  barons 
that  it  was  stipulated  he  should  pardon,  he  found  his  son 
John,  his  favourite  child,  among  the  number.  He  had  long 
borne  an  infirm  state  of  body  with  calm  resignation.  He 
had  seen  his  children  rebel  without  much  emotion ;  but 
when  he  saw  that  child,  whose  interest  always  lay  next  to 
his  heart,  among  the  number  of  those  who  were  in  rebellion 
against  him,  he  could  no  longer  contain  his  indignation.  He 
broke  out  into  expressions  of  the  utmost  despair ;  cursed  the 
day  on  which  he  had  received  his  miserable  being;  and  be- 
stowed on  his  ungrateful  children  a  malediction,  which  he 
never  after  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  retract.  10.  The 
more  his  heart  was  disposed  to  friendship  and  affection,  the 
more  he  resented  this  barbarous  return  ;  and  now  not  having 
one  corner  in  his  heart  where  he  could  look  for  comfort  or 
fly  for  refuge  from  his  conflicting  passions,  he  lost  all  his 
former  vivacity.     A  lingering  fever,  caused  by   a  broken 


HENRY   II. 


G7 


heart,  soon  after  terminated  his  life  and  his  miseries.  He  died 
at  the  castle  of  Chinon,  near  Saumur,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-fifth  of  his  reign ,  in  the 
course  of  which  he  displayed  all  the  abilities  of  a  politician, 
all  the  sagacity  of  a  legislator,  and  all  the  magnanimity  of  a 
hero ;  sullied,  however,  by  many  instances  of  cruelty  and 
perfidy,  which  were  too  commonly  the  characteristics  of  all 
the  Plantaganets. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

2.  By  what  means  did  Eleanor  endeavour  to  escape  ? 

3.  In  what  way  were  Henry's  prospects  of  future  happiness  clouded! 
4  What  was  the  penance  performed  by  Henry  ? 

5.  At  what  time  did  the  affairs  of  Henry  wear  a  better  aspect? 

6.  Who  endeavoured  to  assist  the  insurgents  ? 

7.  Did  another  of  Henry's  sons  enter  into  a  conspiracy  ?   and  what  was  the 

consequence  ? 

8.  What  were  the  misfortunes  which  led  Henry  to  curse  the  day  of  !xis 

birth,  and  to  bestow  a  malediction  on  his  children  ? 
0.  What  caused  the  death  of  Henry  ? 
What  was  his  character  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.D. 

Adrian  IV* 1154 

Alexander  III  ....  1159 

Liuciuslll 1181 

Urban  III 1185 

Gregory  VIII 1187 

Clement  III 1188 

Emperors  of  the  East 
Man.  Commenus..   1143 

Alexis  II 1180 

Andronicus  1 1183 


A.D. 

Isaac  Angelus ....  1 185 

Emperor  of  the  West 
Frederick  1 1152 

Kings  of  France. 
Louis  VII 1137 

Philip  Augustus  ..1180 

Kings  of  Portugal. 
Alphonso 1102 


AD 

Sanchol 1185 

King  of  Denmark- 
WaldemarLt....  1157 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

David  1 1124 

Malcolm  IV 1153 

William 1165 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Theobald,  Becket,  Richard,  and  Baldwin,  archbishops  of  Canterbury 
Strongbow,  earl  of  Pembroke ;  William  Longsword,  earl  of  Salisbury  ;  Geof- 
frey, archbishop  of  York  ;  and  Morgan,  bishop  of  Durham ;  natural  sons  of 
the  king,  the  two  former  by  Fair  Rosamond,  the  latter  by  a  daughter  of  Sir 
Ralph  Blewett.  Hugh  Lacy,  and  Ralph  de  Glanville,  justiciaries  of  Ireland 
and  England.    Bertrand  de  Boru4 

*  Pope  Adrian  was  an  Englishman,  byname  Nicholas  Breakspear :  he  w»3 
choked  by  a  fly  in  the  fifth  year  of  his  popedom. — Med.  Hist.  August. 

t  The  regular  succession  and  history  of  Denmark  do  not  properly  com- 
mence till  the  accession  of  Waldemar  I.  (called  the  Great,)  who  considerably 
enlarged  and  civilized  the  country. 

X  Though  not  properly  a  subject  of  the  English  crown,  this  extraordinary 
man  exercised  no  little  influence  on  the  fortunes  of  Henry.  He  was  lord  of 
a  small  territory  lying  between  the  continental  possessions  of  Henry  and 
France :  he  saw  that  his  only  hope  of  retaining  independence  rested  on  tho 
continued  hostility  of  these  great  powers,  and  used  all  his  efforts  to  keep  them 


G8  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
RICHARD  I. 

Born  1157.    Died  April  6th,  1199.    Began  to  reign  August  13,  1189.    Reigned 
9$  years. 

Against  whose  fury  and  unmatched  force 
The  aweless  lion  could  not  wage  the  fight 
Nor  keep  his  princely  heart  from  Richard's  hand. — Shakipeare. 

1.  (A.  D.  1190.)  Richard,  surnamed  Cceur  de  Lion, 
upon  his  ascending  the  throne,  was  still  inflamed  with  the 
desire  of  going  upon  the  crusade  :  and  at  length  the  king, 
having  got  a  sufficient  supply  for  his  undertaking,  having 
even  sold  his  superiority  over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
which  had  been  acquired  in  the  last  reign,"  for  a  moderate 
sum,  he  set  out  for  the  Holy  Land,  whither  he  was  impelled 
Dy  repeated  messages  from  king  Philip  II  of  France,  who 
was  ready  to  embark  in  the  same  enterprise. 

2.  The  first  place  of  rendezvous  for  the  two  armies  of 
England  and  France,  was  the  plain  of  Vevelay,  on  the 
borders  of  Burgundy,  where,  when  Richard  and  Philip 
arrived,  they  found  their  armies  amounting  to  a  hundred 
thousand  fighting  men.  Here  the  French  prince  and  the 
English  entered  into  the  most  solemn  engagements  of  mu- 
tual support,  and  determined  to  conduct  the  armies  to  the 
Holy  Land  by  sea  :  they  were  obliged,  however,  by  stress 
of  weather,  to  take  shelter  at  Messina*,  the  capital  of  Sicily, 
where  they  were  detained  during  the  whole  winter.  3. 
Richard  took  up  his  quarters-  in  the  suburbs,  and  possessed 
himself  of  a  small  fort,  which  commanded  the  harbour. 
Philip  quartered  his  troops  in  the  town,  and  lived  upon  good 
terms  with  the  Sicilian  king 

constantly  at  war.  Being  both  a  politician  and  a  poet,  he  exaggerated  the 
causes  of  quarrel  which  constantly  arise  between  adjoining  states,  and  in 
bitter  satires  alternately  reproached  each  government  with  cowardly  sub- 
mission to  its  rival.  It  was  he  that  stimulated  the  sons  of  Henry  to  make  war 
against  their  father,  and  young  Henry  especially  was  chiefly  urged  into  the 
field  by  the  satirical  verses  of  Boru.  After  the  death  of  the  young  prince, 
Hemy  besieged  Bertrand's  castle,  and  made  him  prisoner.  When  brought 
into  the  monarch's  presence,  the  king  sarcastically  said  to  his  captive,  "  I 
think,  Bertrand,  thy  wit  has  failed  thee."  "  Yes,  my  lord,"  replied  Bertrand, 
"  it  failed  me  on  the  day  that  the  valiant  young  king,  your  son  expired  :  on 
that  day  I  lost  sense,  wit,  and  knowledge."  Struck  at  the  unexpected  men- 
tion of  his  son's  name,  the  king  fainted,  and  on  his  recovery  granted  Bertrand 
a  full  pardon. — History  of  the  Troubadours. 

*  This  place  suffered  much  by  an  earthquake  in  1783.    It  is  famous  for  its 
wines,  and  is  the  finest  harbour  in  the  Mediterranean. 


RICHARD    I.  69 

Many  were  me  mistrusts  and  the  mutual  conciliations 
Detween  these  two  monarchs,  which  were  very  probably 
inflamed  by  the  Sicilian  king's  endeavours.  At  length, 
however,  having  settled  all  controversies,  they  set  sail  for 
the  Holy  Land,  where  the  French  arrived  long  before  the 
English. 

4.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  English  army  in  Palestine, 
however,  fortune  was  seen  to  declare  more  openly  in  favour 
of  the  common  cause.  The  French  and  English  princes 
seemed  to  forget  their  secret  jealousies,  and  to  act  in  concert. 
But  shortly  after,  Philip,  from  the  bad  state  of  his  health, 
returned  to  France,  leaving  Richard  ten  thousand  of  his 
troops,  under  the  command  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy.  5 
Richard,  now  left  conductor  of  the  war,  went  on  from  vic- 
tory to  victory.  The  Christian  adventurers,  under  his  com- 
mand, determined  to  besiege  the  renowned  city  of  Ascalon, 
in  order  to  prepare  the  way  for  attacking  Jerusalem  with 
greater  advantage.  Saladin,  the  most  heroic  of  the  Saracen 
monarchs,  was  resolved  to  dispute  their  march,  and  placed 
himself  upon  the-  road  with  an  army  of  three  hundred  thou  • 
sand  men.  This  was  a  day  equal  to  Richard's  wishes  ; 
this  an  enemy  worthy  his  highest  ambition.  6.  The  Eng- 
lish crusaders  were  victorious.  Richard,  when  the  wings 
of  his  army  were  defeated,  led  on  the  main  body  in  person, 
and  restored  the  battle.  The  Saracens  fled  in  the  utmost 
confusion,  and  no  less  than  forty  thousand  of  their  number 
perished  in  the  field  of  battle.*  Ascalon  soon  surrendered 
after  this  victory ;  other  cities  of  less  note  followed  the  ex- 
ample ;  Richard  was  at  last  able  to  advance  within  sight  of 
Jerusalem,  the  object  of  his  long  and  ardent  expectations. 
7.  But  just  at  this  glorious  juncture  his  ambition  was  to 
suffer  a  total  overthrow :  upon  reviewing  his  forces,  and 
considering  his  abilities  to  prosecute  the  siege,  he  found  that 
his  army  was  so  wasted  with  famine,  fatigue,  and  even  vic- 
tory, that  they  were  neither  able  nor  willing  to  second  the 

*  So  celebrated  was  the  courage  of  the  English  king,  even  in  the  enemy's 
army,  and  so  dreaded  was  his  name,  that  the  Saracens  would  say  to  their 
restive  horses,  "  What  do  you  start  at  ?  do  you  think  you  see  king  Richard  ?" 
Nor  was  his  zealous  industry  less  remarkable  than  his  courage.  To  encou- 
rage the  soldiers  in  repairing  the  ruined  walls  of  Acre,  Coeur  de  Lion  not 
only  laboured  in  person,  but  appointed  hours  for  other  leaders  to  work  at  the 
head  of  their  men.  All  cheerfully  obeyed,  except  the  duke  of  Austria,  who 
sent  word  that  his  father  having  been  neither  bricklayer  nor  mason,  he  had 
not  learned  either  business.  The  English  king,  hearing  this  insolent  speech 
repeated  to  his  face  by  the  haughty  duke,  kicked  him  out  of  his  tent,  and 
ordered  his  banner  to  be  disgraced.    Brompton. 


70  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

views  of  their  commander.  8.  It  appeared,  therefore,  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  come  to  an  accommodation  with  Saladin  ; 
and  a  truce  for  three  years  was  accordingly  concluded  ;  in 
which  it  was  agreed,  that  the  sea-port  towns  of  Palestine 
should  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  Christians ;  and  that  all 
of  that  religion  should  be  permitted  to  make  their  pilgrimage 
to  Jerusalem  in  perfect  security.* 

9.  Richard  having  thus  concluded  his  expedition  with 
more  glory  than  advantage,  began  to  think  of  returning 
home  :  but  being  obliged  to  return  through  Germany,  in  the 
habit  of  a  pilgrim,  he  was  arrested  by  Leopold,  duke  of 
Austria,  who  commanded  him  to  be  imprisoned,  and  loaded 
with  shackles,  to  the  disgrace  of  honour  and  humanity.  The 
emperor  soon  after  required  the  prisoner  to  be  delivered  up 
to  him,  and  stipulated  a  large  sum  of  money  to  the  duke  as 
a  reward  for  his  services.  10.  Thus,  the  king  of  England, 
who  had  long  filled  the  world  with  his  fame,  was  basely 
thrown  into  a  dungeon,  and  loaded  with  irons,  by  those  who 
expected  to  reap  a  sordid  advantage  from  his  misfortunes. 
It  was  a  long  time  before  his  subjects  in  England  knew 
what  was  become  of  their  beloved  monarch.  11.  So  little 
intercourse  was  there  between  different  nations  at  that  time, 
that  this  discovery  is  said  by  some  to  have  been  made  by  a 
poor  French  minstrel,  who,  playing  upon  his  harp,  near 
the  fortress  in  which  Richard  was  confined,  a  tune  which 
he  knew  that  unhappy  monarch  was  fond  of,  he  was  an- 
swered by  the  king  from  within,  who,  with  his  harp,  played 
the  same  tune,  and  thus  discovered  the  place  of  his  confine- 
ment. 

12.  However,  the  English  at  length  prevailed  upon  this 
barbarous  monarch,  who  now  saw  that  he  could  no  longer 
detain  his  prisoner,  to  listen  to  terms  of  accommodation.  A 
ransom  was  agreed  upon,  which  amounted  to  a  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  marks,  or  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  of 
our  money,  upon  the  payment  of  which,  Richard  was  once 
more  restored  to  his  expecting  subjects. 

13.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  joy  of  the  English  upon 
seeing  their  monarch  return,  after  all  his  achievements  and 
sufferings. 

*  There  was  a  magnanimity  and  generosity  in  Saladin  rarely  seen.  It  V> 
recorded,  that  once  during  this  campaign,  Richard  was  dangerously  sick,  and 
his  disorder  requiring  fresh  fruit,  and  snow  to  render  it  cool,  the  generous 
Saracen  sent  both  in  profusion,  and  thus  saved  the  life  of  the  only  foe  he 
d  readed.    ( Vila  Saladina.) 


RICHARD    I.  71 

He  made  his  entry  into  London  in  triumph :  and  such 
was  the  profusion  of  wealth  shown  by  the  citizens,  that  the 
German  lords  who  attended  him  were  heard  to  say,  that 
if  the  emperor  had  known  of  their  affluence,  he  would  not 
so  easily  have  parted  with  their  king.  He  soon  after  ordered 
himself  to  be  crowned  anew  at  Winchester.  He  convoked 
a  general  council  at  Nottingham,  at  which  he  confiscated  all 
his  brother  John's  possessions,  who  had  basely  endeavoured 
to  prolong  his  captivity,  and  gone  over  to  the  king  of  France 
with  that  intent.  However,  he  pardoned  him  soon  after, 
with  this  generous  remark :  "I  wish  I  could  as  easily  for- 
get my  brother's  offence  as  he  will  my  pardon." 

14.  Richard's  death  was  occasioned  by  a  singular  acci- 
dent. A  vassal  of  the  crown  had  taken  possession  of  a 
treasure,  which  was  found  by  one  of  the  peasants  in  dig- 
ging a  field  in  France  ;  ajid  to  secure  the  remainder,  he  sent 
part  of  it  to  the  king.  Richard,  as  superior  lord,  sensible 
that  he  had  a  right  to  the  whole,  insisted  on  its  being  sent 
to  him  ;  and,  upon  refusal,  attacked  the  castle  of  Chalus, 
where  he  understood  this  treasure  had  been  deposited.  15. 
On  the  fourth  day  of  the  siege,  as  he  was  riding  round  the 
place  to  observe  where  the  assault  might  be  given  with  the 
fairest  probability  of  success,  he  was  aimed  at  by  Bertrand 
»e  Gourdon,  an  archer,  from  the  castle,  and  pierced  in  the 
shoulder  with  an  arrow.  The  wound  was  not  in  itself  dan- 
gerous ;  but  an  unskilful  surgeon,  endeavouring  to  disen- 
gage the  arrow  from  the  flesh,  so  rankled  the  wound,  that  it 
mortified,  and  brought  on  fatal  symptoms.  16.  Rich?rd, 
when  he  found  his  end  approaching,  made  a  will,  in  which 
he  bequeathed  the  kingdom,  with  all  his  treasure,  to  his 
brother  John,  except  a  fourth  part,  which  he  distributed 
among  his  servants.  He  ordered  also  that  the  archer  who 
had  shot  him  should  be  brought  into  his  presence,  and  de- 
manded what  injury  he  had  done  him,  that  he  should  take 
away  his  life?  The  prisoner  answered  with  deliberate  intre- 
pidity :  17.  "  You  killed,  with  your  own  hand,  my  father 
and  my  two  brothers,  and  you  intended  to  have  hanged  me. 
I  am  now  in  your  power,  and  my  torments  may  give  you 
revenge ;  but  I  will  endure  them  with  pleasure,  since  it  is 
my  consolation  that  I  have  rid  the  world  of  a  tyrant."  Rich- 
ard, struck  with  this  answer,  ordered  the  soldier  to  be  pre- 
sented with  one  hundred  shillings,  and  set  at  liberty ;  but 
Marcade,  the  general  under  him,  like  a  true  ruffian,  ordered 
him  to  be  flayed  alive,  and  then  hanged.     Richard  died  in 


72 


HISTORY    OF    ENCLAND. 


the  tenth  year  of  his  reign,  and  the  forty-second  of  his  age- 
leaving  only  one  natural  son,  named  Philip,  behind  him. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  With  whom  did  Richard  embark  for  the  crusades  ? 

2.  Of  what  number  did  the  armies  consist  ? 

4.  On  Philip's  return  to  France,  who  was  left  to  conduct  the  war  ? 

5.  Who  opposed  Richard  on  his  march  to  besiege  Jerusalem? 

6.  Can  you  repeat  the  particulars  of  the  battle  ? 

8.  What  circumstance  induced  Richard  to  come  to  an  accommodation  with 

Saladin? 

9.  In  returning  home,  what  happened  to  Richard  ? 

11.  How  was  it  discovered  that  Richard  was  a  prisoner? 

12.  By  what  means  did  Richard  recover  his  liberty  ? 

13.  Who  endeavoured  to  prolong  Richard's  captivity  ?  and  what  was  his  re- 

mark on  this  occasion  ? 
15.  Can  you  relate  the  singular  accident  which  caused  the  death  of  Richard  ? 
17.  What  was  the  answer  of  the  person  who  shot  the  king 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

Clement  III 1188 

CelestineUI 1191 

impcentlll 1198 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
Isaac  II 1186 


A.D. 

Alexis  III 1195 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Frederic  1 1152 

Henry  VI 1190 

Philip  1 1197 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Kings  of 


France.  Philip  II 
Portugal.  San.  I. 
Denmark.  Can.  V.  1182 
Scotland.  William  1165 


A.D 

1180 
1180 


Hubert,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Henry  Fitzalwyn,  first  lord  mayor  of 
London.  William  Longchamp,  bishop  of  Ely,  regent  in  Richard's  absence. 
Robin  Hood  and  Little  John,  the  celebrated  outlaws. 


JOHN.  73 

*    CHAPTER  X. 

JOHN.  Stato 

Born  1165.    Died  October  7th,  1216.    Began  to  reign  April  6th,  1199.    Reigned 
17i  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Wnen  faithless  John  usurp' d  the  sullied  crown. 
What  ample  tyranny  !    Six  tedious  years 
Our  helpless  fathers  in  despair  ohey'd 
The  Papal  interdict;  and  who  ouey'd 
The  Sovereign  plundered  1 — Shenstone. 

1.  (A.  D.  1190.)  John,*  who  was  readily  put  in  pos- 
session of  the  English  throne,  lost  no  time  to  second  his 
interest  on  the  continent;  and  his  first  care  was  to  recover 
the  revolted  provinces  from  young  Arthur,  his  nephew. 
But  from  the  pride  and  cruelty  of  his  temper,  he  soon  be- 
came hateful  to  his  subjects ;  and  his  putting  his  nephew, 
who  had  a  right  to  the  erown,  to  death,  with  his  own  hand, 
in  prison,  served  to  render  him  completely  hateful. 

2.  Hitherto  John  was  rather  hateful  to  his  subjects  than 
contemptible ;  they  rather  dreaded  than  despised  him. 
But  he  soon  shewed  that  he  might  be  offended,  if  not  with- 
out resentment,  at  least  with  impunity.  It  was  the  fate  of 
this  vicious  prince  to  make  those  the  enemies  of  himself 
whom  he  wanted  abilities  to  make  the  enemies  of  each 
other.  The  clergy  had  for  some  time  acted  as  a  community 
independent  of  the  crown,  and  had  their  elections  of  each 
other  generally  confirmed  by  the  pope,  to  whom  alone  they 
owed  subjection.  3.  However,  the  election  of  archbishops 
had  for  some  time  been  a  continual  subject  of  dispute  be- 
tween the  suffragan  bishops  and  the  Augustine  monks,  and 
both  had  precedents  to  confirm  their  pretensions.  John 
sided  with  the  bishops,  and  sent  two  knights  of  his  train, 
who  were  fit  instruments  for  such  a  prince,  to  expel  the 
monks  from  their  convent,  and  to  take  possession  of  their 
revenues.  4.  The  pope  was  not  displeased  with  these  di- 
visions ;  and,  instead  of  electing  either  of  the  persons  ap- 
pointed by  the  contending  parties,  he  nominated  Stephen 
Langton  as  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  John,  however, 
refusing  to  admit  the  man  of  the  pope's  choosing,  the  king- 
dom was  put  under  an  interdict.  This  instrument  of  terror 
in  the  hands  of  the  see  of  Rome  was  calculated  to  strike 
the  senses  in  the  highest  degree,  and  to  operate  upon  the 

*  Sumamed  Sans  Tcrre  or  Lackland. 

G 


74  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

superstitious  minds  of  the  people.  5.  By  it  a  stop  was  im 
mediately  put  to  divine  service,  and  to  the  administration 
of  all  the  sacraments  but  baptism.  The  church-doors  were 
shut;  the  statues  of  the  saints  were  laid  on  the  ground; 
the  dead  were  refused  Christian  burial,  and  were  thrown 
into  ditches  on  the  highways,  without  the  usual  rites,  or 
any  funeral  solemnity. 

6.  No  situation  could  be  more  deplorable  than  that  of 
John  upon  this  occasion.  Furious  at  his  indignities,  jealous 
of  his  subjects  and  apprehending  an  enemy  in  every  face, 
it  is  said  that,  fearing  a  conspiracy  against  his  life,  he  shut 
himself  up  a  whole  night  in  the  castle  of  Nottingham,  and 
suffered  none  to  approach  his  person.  But  what  was  his 
consternation  when  he  found  that  the  pope  had  actually 
given  away  his  kingdom  to  the  monarch  of  France,  and 
that  the  prince  of  that  country  was  actually  preparing  an 
army  to  take  possession  of  his  crown  ! 

7.  John,  who,  unsettled  and  apprehensive,  scarcely  knew 
where  to  turn,  was  still  able  to  make  an  expiring  effort  to 
receive  the  enemy.  All  hated  as  he  was,  the  natural  en- 
mity between  the  French  and  the  English,  the  name  of 
king,  which  he  still  retained,  and  some  remaining  power, 
put  him  at  the  head  of  sixty  thousand  men — a  sufficient 
number  indeed,  but  not  to  be  relied  on — and  with  these 
he  advanced  to  Dover.  8.  Europe  now  regarded  the  im- 
portant preparations  on  both  sides  with  impatience  ;  and 
the  decisive  blow  was  soon  expected,  in  which  the  church 
was  to  triumph  or  to  be  overthrown.  But  neither  Philip 
nor  John  had  ability  equal  to  the  pontiff  by  whom  they 
were  actuated ;  who  appeared  on  this  occasion  too  refined 
a  politician  for  either.  He  only  intended  to  make  use  of 
Philip's  power  to  intimidate  his  refractory  son,  not  to 
destroy  him.  9.  He  intimated,  therefore,  to  John,  by  his 
legate,  that  there  was  but  one  way  to  secure  himself  from 
impending  danger;  which  was  to  put  himself  under  the 
pope's  protection,  who  was  a  merciful  father,  and  still  willing 
to  receive  a  repentant  sinner  to  his  bosom.  John  was  too 
much  intimidated  by  the  manifest  danger  of  his  situation 
not  to  embrace  every  means  offered  for  his  safety.  He 
assented  to  the  truth  of  the  legate's  remonstrances,  and 
took  an  oath  to  perform  whatever  stipulation  the  pope  should 
impose.  10.  John  having  thus  sworn  to  the  performance 
of  an  unknown  command,  the  artful  Italian  so  well  managed 
the  barons,  and  so  effectually  intimidated  the  king,  that  he 


JOHN.  75 

persuaded  him  to  take  the  most  extraordinary  oath  in  all  the 
records  of  history,  before  all  the  people,  kneeling  upon 
his  knees,  and  with  his  hands  held  up  between  those  of  the 
legate. 

11.  "I  John,  by  the  grace  of  God,  king  of  England, 
and  lord  of  Ireland,  in  order  to*  expiate  my  sins,  from  my 
own  free  will,  and  the  advice  of  my  barons,  give  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  to  pope  Innocent,  and  his  successors,  the 
kingdom  of  England,  and  all  other  prerogatives  of  my 
crown.  I  will  hereafter  hold  them  as  the  pope's  vassal.  I 
will  be  faithful  to  God,  to  the  church  of  Rome,  to  the  pope 
my  master,  and  his  successors  legitimately  elected.  I  pro- 
mise to  pay  him  a  tribute  of  a  thousand  marks  yearly ;  to 
wit,  seven  hundred  for  the  kingdom  of  England,  and  three 
hundred  for  the  kingdom  of  Ireland." — 12.  Having  thus 
done  homage  to  the  legate,  and  agreed  to  reinstate  Langton 
in  the  primacy,  he  received  the  crown,  which  he  had  been 
supposed  to  have  forfeited,  while  the  legate  trampled  under 
his  feet  the  tribute  which  John  had  consented  to  pay.  Thus, 
by  this  most  scandalous  concession  John  once  more  averted 
the  threatened  blow. 

In  this  manner,  by  repeated  acts  of  cruelty,  by  expedi- 
tions without  effect,  and  humiliations  without  reserve,  John 
was  beeome  the  detestation  of  all  mankind. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  conduct  of  John  on  succeeding  to  the  throne  ? 

2,  3.  Of  what  nature  was  the  disagreement  between  the  king  and  the 

clergy  which  produced  such  serious  consequences  to  the  nation  ? 

4.  Why  was  the  kingdom  put  under  an  interdict  ? 

5.  What  were  the  consequences  of  it  ? 

6.  To  what  distress  was  John  reduced  ? 

9.  To  what  humiliating  concessions  did  John  submit  ? 

11.  What  oath  did  the  king  take  ? 

12.  What  degrading  ceremony  followed  ? 


SECTION   II. 

This  is  the  place 
Where  England's  ancient  barons,  dad  in  arms, 
And  stern  with  conquest,  from  their  tyrant  king 
(Then  rendered  tame)  did  challenge  and  secure 
The  Charter  of  thy  Freedom.  —  Akenside. 

1.  (A.  D.  1215.)  The  barons  had  long  been  forming  a 
confederacy  against  him ;  but  their  union  was  broken,  or 
their  aims  disappointed,  by  various  and  unforseen  accidents. 
At  length  however  they  assembled  a  large  body  of  men  at 
Stamford,  and  from  thence,  elated  with  their  power,  they 
marched  to  Brackley,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Oxford,  the 


76  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

place  where  the  court  then  resided.  2.  John,  nearing  of 
their  approach,  sent  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  earl 
of  Pembroke,  and  others  of  the  council,  to  know  the  parti- 
culars of  their  request,  and  what  those  liberties  were  which 
they  so  earnestly  importuned  him  to  grant.  The  barons 
delivered  a  schedule,  containing  the  chief  articles  of  their 
demands,  and  of  which  the  former  charters  of  Henry  and 
Edward  the  Confessor  formed  the  ground-work.  No  sooner 
were  those  shown  to  the  king,  than  he  burst  into  a  furious 
passion,  and  asked  why  the  barons  did  not  also  demand  his 
kingdom  ?  swearing  that  he  would  never  comply  with  such 
exorbitant  demands !  But  the  confederacy  was  now  too 
strong  to  fear  much  from  the  consequences  of  his  resent- 
ment. 3.  They  chose  Robert  Fitzwalter  for  their  general, 
whom  they  dignified  with  the  title  of  "  mareschal  of  the 
army  of  God,  and  of  the  holy  church,"  and  proceeded, 
without  further  ceremony,  to  make  war  upon  the  king. 
They  besieged  Northampton ;  they  took  Bedford ;  they 
were  joyfully  received  in  London.  They  wrote  circular 
letters  to  all  the  nobility  and  gentlemen  who  had  not  yet 
declared  in  their  favour,  and  menaced  their  estates  with  de- 
vastation, in  case  of  refusal  or  delay. 

4.  John,  struck  with  terror,  first  offered  to  refer  all  dif- 
ferences to  the  pope  alone,  or  eight  barons  ;  four  to  be 
chosen  by  himself  and  four  by  the  confederates.  This 
the  barons  scornfully  rejected.  He  then  assured  them  that 
he  would  submit  at  discretion ;  and  that  it  was  his  supreme 
pleasure  to  grant  all  their  demands  :  a  conference  was  ac- 
cordingly appointed,  and  all  things  adjusted  for  this  most 
important  treaty. 

5.  The  ground  where  the  king's  commissioners  met  the 
barons  was  between  Staines  and  Windsor,*  at  a  place 
called  Runimede,  still  held  in  reverence  by  posterity  as  the 
spot  where  the  standard  of  freedom  was  first  erected  in 
England.  There  the  barons  appeared  with  a  vast  number 
of  knights  and  warriors,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  June, 
while  those  on  the  king's  part  came  a  day  or  two  after. 
Both  sides  encamped  apart,  like  open  enemies.  The  de- 
bates between  power  and  precedent  are  generally  but  of 
short  continuance.  6.  The  barons,  having  arms  in  their 
hands,  would  admit  but  a  few  abatements ;  and  the  king's 
agents  being  for  the  most  part  in  their  interests,  few  debates 

*  Here  is  the  strongest  castle  in  England :  it  was  the  general  residence  of 
his  late  majesty,  and  was  originally  built  by  William  the  Conqueror. 


John. 


7? 


King  John  compelled  to  ratify  Magna  Charta. 

ensued.  After  some  days  the  king,  with  a  facility  that 
was  somewhat  suspicious,  signed  and  sealed  the  charter 
required  of  him ;  a  charter  which  continues  in  force  to  this 
day,  and  is  the  famous  bulwark  of  English  liberty,  which 
now  goes  by  the  name  of  Magna  Charta.  7.  This  famous 
deed  either  granted  or  secured  freedom  to  those  orders  of 
the  kingdom  that  were  already  possessed  of  freedom ; 
namely,  to  the  clergy,  the  barons,  and  the  gentlemen  :  as 
for  the  inferior  and  the  greater  part  of  the  people,  they 
were  as  yet  held  as  slaves,  and  it  was  long  before  they 
could  come  to  a  participation  of  legal  protection. 

8.  John,  however,  could  not  long  brook  these  conces- 
sions that  were  extorted  from  his  fears :  he  therefore  took 
the  first  opportunity  of  denying  to  be  the  least  governed  by 
them. 

9.  This  produced  a  second  civil  war,  in  which  the  barons 
were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  the  king  of  France  for 
assistance.  Thus  England  saw  nothing  but  *a  prospect  of 
being  every  way  undone.  If  John  succeeded,  a  tyrannical 
and  implacable  monarch  was  to  be  their  tormentor ;  if  the 
French  king  was  to  prevail,  the  country  was  ever  after  to 
submit  to  a  more  powerful  monarchy,  and  was  to  become  a 
province  of  France.  What  neither  human  prudence  could 
foresee  nor  policy  suggest  was  brought  about  by  a  happy 
and  unexpected  accident. 

g2 


78  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

10.  John  had  assembled  a  considerable  army,  with  a 
view  to  make  one  great  effort  for  the  crown  ;  and  at  the 
head  of  a  large  body  of  troops,  resolved  to  penetrate  into 
the  heart  of  the  kingdom.  With  these  resolutions  he  de- 
parted from  Lynn,  which,  for  its  fidelity,  he  had  distin- 
guished with  many  marks  of  favour,  and  directed  his  route 
towards  Lincolnshire.  His  road  lay  along  the  shore,  which 
was  overflowed  at  high-water ;  but  not  being  apprised  of 
this,  or  being  ignorant  of  the  tide  of  the  place,  he  lost  all 
his  carriages,  treasure,  and  baggage,  by  its  influx.  11.  He 
himself  escaped  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  and  arrived  at 
the  abbey  of  Swinstead,  where  his  grief  for  the  loss  he  had 
sustained,  and  the  distracted  state  of  his  affairs,  threw  him 
into  a  fever,  which  soon  appeared  to  be  fatal.  Next  day, 
being  unable  to  ride  on  horseback,  he  was  carried  in  a  litter 
to  the  castle  of  Seaford,  and  from  thence  removed  to  New- 
ark, where,  after  having  made  his  will,  he  died  in  the  fifty- 
first  year  of  his  age,  and  the  eighteenth  of  his  detested  reign.* 

12.  Seldom  has  any  throne  been  disgraced  by  a  monarch 
so  depraved  as  John ;  before  his  accession  he  had  rebelled 
against  a  fond  father,  and  treacherously  attempted  the  life 
of  a  generous  brother :  to  secure  himself  on  the  throne  he 
murdered  his  nephew,  prince  Arthur,  and  detained  his 
niece,  the  princess  Eleanora,  in  perpetual  imprisonment. 
He  repudiated  one  wife  and  imprisoned  another,  and 
violated  his  faith  to  both  with  the  most  abandoned  pro- 
fligacy. He  showed  his  contempt  for  religion  by  habitually 
swearing,  and  wantonly  violating  the  most  solemn  oaths. 
If  he  was  a  bad  man,  he  was  a  worse  king  ;  he  subjected 
himself  to  the  ignominious  yoke  of  Rome;  he  suffered 
France  to  take  possession  of  the  Norman  provinces,  almost 
without  a  struggle;  and  at  home  he  acted  the  part  of  a 
lustful  and  bloody  tyrant,  sporting  with  the  honours,  the 
fortunes,  and  the  lives  of  his  unhappy  subjects.  Yet,  by 
the  blessing  of  Providence,  his  tyranny  became  the  source 
of  the  greatest  benefits  to  posterity,  since  his  intolerable 
oppressions  drove  the  barons  into  rebellion,  and  procured 
them  the  great  charter,  which  was  the  first  foundation  of 
British  freedom. 

*  King  John  once  demanded  10,000  marks  from  a  Jew  of  Bristol ;  and,  on 
his  refusal,  ordered  one  of  his  teeth  to  be  drawn  every  day  till  he  should 
romp!),  The  Jew  lost  seven  teeth,  and  then  paid  the  sum  required  of 
Liu 


HENRY    III.  79 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  Did  the  barons  assemble  an  army  in  opposition  to  the  king  ? 

2.  What  were  their  demands  ?  and  what  answer  did  the  king  return  ? 

3.  4.  What  consequences  followed  ? 

5,  6  Can  you  mention  the  circumstances  which  attended  the  signing  of 
Magna  Charta  ? 

8.  What  produced  a  second  civil  war? 

9.  What  great  effort  did  John  resolve  to  make  ? 

10,  11.  What  was  the    accident  which  befel  John,  and  accelerated  his 

death  ? 
12.  What  was  the  character  of  John  ? 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Innocent  III 1198 

HonoriuslII 1215 

Emperdrs  of  the  East. 

Alexis  III 1195 

Alexis  IV 1203 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 

Kings  of 


A.D. 

Alexis  V.... 1204 

Theodore  1 15505 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Philip 1197 

OthoIV 1208 

Frederic  II 1211 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


A.D. 

France.  Philip  II..  1189 

Portug.  Sanchol..  1185 

AdolphusII..  1212 

Den.  Waldemar  II.  1202 

Scotland.  William.  1165 

Alexander  II.  1214 


Stephen  Langton,  archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  he  divided  our  Bible  into 
chapters  and  verses.  Robert  Fitzwalter,  general  of  the  barons'  army 
John  de  Courcy,  earl  of  Ulster,  famous  for  his  strength  and  prowess. 
Prince  Arthur,  nephew  to  the  king,  by  whom  he  is  supposed  to  have  been 
murdered. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
HENRY  ni. 


Born  J207.    Died  Nov.  16th,  1272.    Began  to  reign  October  17th,  1216.    Reigned 
56  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Humane,  indulgent,  kind  ev'n  to  a  fault; 

Yet  wanting  energy  when  cares  assault 

His  reien,  though  turbulent,  an  instance  brings 

Of  "  Mercy  throned  in  the  heart  of  kings." — Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1216.)  A  claim  was  made  upon  the  death  of 
John,  in  favour  of  young  Henry,  the  son  of  the  late  king, 
who  was  now  but  nine  years  of  age.  The  earl  of  Pem- 
broke,  a  nobleman  of  great  worth   and  valour,  who   had 


80  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND* 

faithfully  adhered  to  John  in  all  the  fluctuations  of  his  for- 
tune, determined  to  support  his  declining  interests,  and  had 
him  solemnly  crowned  by  the  bishops  of  Winchester,  Bath, 
and  Gloucester. 

2.  The  young  king  was  of  a  character  the  very  opposite 
to  his  father ;  as  he  grew  up  to  man's  estate,  he  was  found 
to  be  gentle,  merciful,  and  humane  ;  he  appeared  easy  and 
good-natured  to  his  dependents,  but  no  way  formidable  to  his 
enemies.  Without  activity  or  vigour,  he  was  unfit  to  govern 
in  war ;  without  distrust  or  suspicion,  he  was  imposed  upon 
in  times  of  peace. 

3.  As  weak  princes  are  never  without  governing  favour- 
ites, he  first  placed  his  affections  on  Hubert  de  Burgh,  and 
he  becoming  obnoxious  to  the  people,  the  place  was  soon 
supplied  by  Peter  De  Roches,  bishop  of  Winchester,  a 
Poictevin  by  birth,  a  man  remarkable  for  his  arbitrary  con- 
duct, for  his  courage,  and  his  abilities.  Henry,  in  pursuance 
of  this  prelate's  advice,  invited  over  a  great  number  of  Poic- 
tevins,  and  other  foreigners,  who  having  neither  principles 
nor  fortunes  at  home,  were  willing  to  adopt  whatever  schemes 
their  employers  should  propose.  4.  Every  office  and  com- 
mand was  bestowed  on  these  unprincipled  strangers,  whose 
avarice  and  rapacity  were  exceeded  only  by  their  pride  and 
insolence.  So  unjust  a  partiality  to  strangers  very  naturally 
excited  the  jealousy  of  the  barons  ;  and  they  even  ventured 
to  assure  the  king,  that,  if  he  did  not  dismiss  all  foreigners 
from  court,  they  would  drive  both  him  and  them  out  of  the 
kingdom  ;  but  their  anger  was  scarcely  kept  within  bounds 
when  they  saw  a  new  swarm  of  these  intruders  come  over 
from  Gascony,  with  Isabella,  the  king's  mother,  who  had 
some  time  before  been  married  to  the  count  de  la  Marche. 
5.  To  these  just  causes  of  complaint  were  added  the  king's 
unsuccessful  expedition  to  the  continent,  his  total  want  of 
economy,  and  his  oppressive  exactions,  which  were  but  the 
result  of  the  former.  The  kingdom  therefore  waited  with 
gloomy  resolution,  determined  to  take  vengeance  when  the 
general  discontent  arrived  at  maturity. 

6.  This  imprudent  preference,  joined  to  a  thousand  other 
illegal  evasions  of  justice,  at  last  impelled  Simon  Montford, 
earl  of  Leicester,  to  attempt  an  innovation  in  the  government, 
and  to  wrest  the  sceptre  from  the  feeble  hand  that  held  it. 
This  nobleman  was  the  son  of  the  famous  general  who  com- 
manded against  the  Albigenses,  a  sect  of  enthusiasts  that 
had  been  destroyed  some  time  before  in  the  kingdom  of  S  i- 


HENRY   III.  81 

voy.  He  was  married  to  the  king's  sister ;  and  by  his  power 
and  address  was  possessed  of  a  strong  interest  in  the  nation, 
having  gained  equally  the  affections  of  the  great  and  the 
little. 

7.  The  place  where  the  formidable  confederacy  which  he 
had  formed  first  discovered  itself  was  in  the  parliament  house, 
where  the  barons  appeared  incomplete  armour.  The  king, 
upon  his  entry,  asked  them  what  was  their  intention  ;  to 
which  they  submissively  replied,  to  make  him  their  sovereign, 
by  confirming  his  power,  and  to  have  their  grievances  re- 
dressed. 8.  Henry,  who  was  ready  enough  to  promise 
whatever  was  demanded,  instantly  assured  them  of  his  inten- 
tion to  give  all  possible  satisfaction  ;  and,  for  that  purpose, 
summoned  a  parliament  at  Oxford,  to  digest  a  new  plan  ol 
government,  and  to  elect  proper  persons  who  were  to  be  in- 
trusted with  the  chief  authority.  This  parliament,  after- 
wards called  the  "  mad  parliament,"  went  expeditiously  to 
work  upon  the  business  of  reformation.  9.  Twenty-four 
barons  were  appointed,  with  supreme  authority,  to  reform 
the  abuses  of  the  state,  and  Leicester  was  placed  at  their 
head.  The  whole  state  in  their  hands  underwent  a  complete 
alteration  ;  all  its  former  officers  were  displaced  ;  and  crea- 
tures of  the  twenty -four  barons  were  put  into  their  room. 
They  not  only  abridged  the  authority  of  the  king,  but  the 
efficacy  of  parliament,  giving  up  to  twelve  persons  all  parlia- 
mentary power  between  each  session.  Thus  these  insolent 
nobles,  after  having  trampled  upon  the  crown,  threw  pros- 
trate the  rights  of  the  people,  and  a  vile  oligarchy  was  on 
the  point  of  being  established  for  ever. 

10.  The  first  opposition  that  was  made  to  these  usurpa- 
tions was  from  a  power  which  but  lately  began  to  take  a 
place  in  the  constitution.  The  knights  of  the  shire,  who 
for  some  time  had  begun  to  be  regularly  assembled  in  a  se- 
parate house,  now  first  perceived  these  grievances,  and  com- 
plained against  them.  They  represented  that  their  own 
interests  and  power  seemed  the  only  aim  of  all  their  decrees  ; 
and  they  even  called  upon  the  king's  eldest  son,  prince  Ed- 
ward, to  interpose  his  authority,  and  save  the  sinking  nation 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  whom  was  the  interest  of  the  young  king  secured  ? 

2.  What  is  the  character  given  of  him  ? 

3.  Who  were  his  favourites  ? 


82  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

4.  By  what  means  did  he  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  barons  ? 

6.  Who  attempted  an  innovation  in  the  government  ? 

7.  What  are  the  particulars  of  the  conspiracy  formed  by  the  barons  ? 
9.  In  whom  was  the  supreme  authority  vested  ? 

10.  By  whom  were  these  usurpations  opposed,  and  of  what  did  they  com- 
plain ? 


SECTION  II. 

The  fate  of  war.  capricious,  now  ordains, 

That  Edward,  Henry's  son,  shall  break  his  chains. —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1264.)  Prince  Edward  was  at  this  time  about 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  The  hopes  which  were  conceived 
of  his  abilities  and  his  integrity  rendered  him  an  important 
personage  in  the  transactions  of  the  times,  and  in  some  mea- 
sure atoned  for  the  father's  imbecility.  He  had,  at  a  very 
early  age,  given  the  strongest  proofs  of  courage,  of  wisdom, 
and  of  constancy.  At  first,  indeed,  when  applied  to,  ap- 
pearing sensible  of  what  his  father  had  suffered  by  levity 
and  breach  of  promise,  he  refused  some  time  to  listen  to  the 
people's  earnest  application ;  but,  being  at  last  persuaded  to 
concur,  a  parliament  was  called,  in  which  the  king  assumed 
his  former  authority. 

2.  This  being  considered  as  a  breach  of  the  late  conven- 
tion, a  civil  war  ensued,  in  which,  in  a  pitched  battle,  the 
earl  of  Leicester  became  victorious,  and  the  king  was  taken 
prisoner,  but  soon  after  exchanged  for  prince  Edward,  who 
was  to  remain  as  a  hostage  to  ensure  the  punctual  observance 
of  the  former  agreement. 

With  all  these  advantages,  however,  Leicester  was  not  so 
entirely  secure,  but  that  he  still  feared  the  combination  of  the 
foreign  states  against  him,  as  well  as  the  internal  machina- 
tions of  the  royal  party.  In  order,  therefore,  to  secure  his 
ill-acquired  power,  he  was  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  an  aid 
till  now  entirely  unknown  in  England,  namely,  that  of  the 
body  of  the  people.  4.  He  called  a  parliament,  where,  be- 
sides the  barons  of  his  own  party,  and  several  ecclesiastics, 
who  were  not  immediate  tenants  of  the  crown,  he  ordered 
returns  to  be  made  of  two  knights  from  every  shire  ;  and  also 
deputies  from  the  boroughs,  which  had  been  hitherto  consi- 
dered as  too  inconsiderable  to  have  a  voice  in  legislation. 
This  is  the  first  confused  outline  of  an  English  house  of 
commons.  The  people  had  been  gaining  some  consideration 
since  the  gradual  diminution  of  the  force  of  the  feudal 
system. 

5.  This  parliament,  however,  was  found  not  so  very  com 


HENRY  III.  83 

plying  as  he  expected.  Many  of  the  barons,  who  had  hi- 
therto steadfastly  adhered  to  his  party,  appeared  disgusted 
at  his  immoderate  ambition ;  and  many  of  the  people,  who 
found  that  a  change  of  masters  was  not  a  change  for  happi- 
ness, began  to  wish  for  the  re-establishment  of  the  royal 
family.  6.  In  this  exigence,  Leicester,  finding  himself  unable 
to  oppose  the  concurring  wishes  of  the  nation,  was  resolved 
to  make  a  merit  of  what  he  could  not  prevent ;  and  he  ac- 
cordingly released  prince  Edward  from  confinement,  and  had 
him  introduced  at  Westminster-hall,  where  his  freedom  was 
confirmed  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the  barons.  But  though 
Leicester  had  all  the  popularity  of  restoring  the  prince,  yet 
he  was  politic  enough  to  keep  him  still  guarded  by  his  emis- 
saries, who  watched  all  his  motions,  and  frustrated  all  his 
aims. 

7.  The  prince,  therefore,  upon  hearing  that  the  duke  of 
Gloucester  was  up  in  arms  in  his  cause,  took  an  opportunity 
to  escape  from  his  guards,  and  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his 
party.  A  battle  soon  after  ensued  ;  but  the  earl's  army  ha- 
ving been  exhausted  by  famine  on  the  mountains  of  Wales, 
were  but  ill  able  to  sustain  the  impetuosity  of  young  Ed- 
ward's attack,  who  bore  down  upon  them  with  incredible 
fury.  During  this  terrible  day,  Leicester  behaved  with  as- 
tonishing intrepidity  ;  and  kept  up  the  spirit  of  the  action 
from  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  nine  at  night.  8.  At 
last,  his  horse  being  killed  under  him,  he  was  compelled  to 
fight  on  foot ;  and,  though  he  demanded  quarter,  yet  the  ad- 
verse party  refused  it,  with  a  barbarity  common  enough  in 
the  times  we  are  describing.  The  old  king,  who  was  placed 
in  the  front  of  the  battle,  was  soon  wounded  in  the  shoulder ; 
and,  not  being  known  by  his  friends,  he  was  on  the  point  of 
being  killed  by  a  soldier ;  but  crying  out,  "  I  am  Henry  of 
Winchester,  the  king  !"  he  was  saved  by  a  knight  of  the 
royal  army.  9.  Prince  Edward,  hearing  the  voice  of  his 
father,  instantly  ran  to  the  spot  where  he  lay,  and  had  him 
conducted  to  a  place  of  safety.  The  body  of  Leicester  being 
found  among  the  dead,  was  barbarously  mangled  by  one  Ro- 
ger Mortimer;  and  then,  with  an  accumulation  of  inhuma- 
nity, sent  to  the  wretched  widow,  as  a  testimony  of  the  royal 
party's  success. 

10.  This  victory  proved  decisive  ;  and  the  prince,  having 
thus  restored  peace  to  the  kingdom,  found  his  affairs  so 
firmly  established,  that  he  resolved  upon  taking  the  cross, 
which  was  at  that  time  the  highest  object  of  human  ambition 


84  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  Edward  sailed  from  Eng- 
land with  a  large  army,  and  arrived  at  the  camp  of  Lewis, 
king  of  France,  which  lay  before  Tunis,  where  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  hear  of  that  good  monarch's  death  before  his 
arrival.  The  prince,  however,  no  way  discouraged  by  this 
ovent,  continued  his  voyage,  and  arrived  at  the  Holy  Land 
n  safety. 

11.  He  was  scarcely  departed  upon  this  pious  expedition, 
when  the  health  of  the  old  king  began  to  decline ;  and  he 
found  not  only  his  own  constitution,  but  also  that  of  the 
state,  in  such  a  dangerous  situation,  that  he  wrote  letters  to 
his  son,  pressing  him  to  return  with  all  dispatch.  12.  At 
last,  being  overcome  with  the  cares  of  government,  and  the 
infirmities  of  age,  he  ordered  himself  to  be  removed,  by  easy 
journeys,  from  St.  Edmunds  to  Westminster,  and  that  same 
night  expired  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
fifty-seventh  of  his  reign  ;  the  longest  to  be  met  with  in  the 
annals  of  England,  until  that  of  George  the  Third.* 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  were  the  circumstances  which  warranted  the  hopes  conceived  by 

prince  Henry  ? 

2.  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  between  the  king  and  Leicester  ? 

3.  4.  By  what  means  did  Leicester  endeavour  to  secure  his  power  ? 

5.  Did  the  Parliament  comply  with  his  wishes  ? 

6.  Why  did  Leicester  resolve  to  release  prince  Edward  ? 

,  8,  9.  Can  you  relate  the  circumstance  which  took  place  in  the  action  be- 
tween prince  Edward  and  Leicester  ? 

10.  What  were  Edward's  determination  and  conduct  after  this  victory  ? 

11.  During  Edward's  absence,  what  was  the  situation  of  the  king  and  the  na- 

tion? 

12.  At  what  age  did  Henry  die  ?  and  how  long  did  he  reign  ? 

*  The  interest  paid  in  this  reign,  for  money  in  the  East  Indies,  amounted, 
it  is  said,  to  twenty-five,  and  even  sometimes  to  thirty-six  per  cent.  But  in- 
stances occurred  in  England  of  fifty  per  cent,  being  paid  for  money.  No 
wonder,  therefore,  that  the  Jews,  who  were  the  only  money-lenders,  should 
be  tempted  to  stay  in  the  kingdom,  notwithstanding  the  grievous  extortions 
that  were  practised  on  them. 

Henry  granted  a  charter  to  the  town  of  Newcastle,  in  which  he  gave  the 
inhabitants  a  license  to  dig  coal. 

The  houses  of  the  city  of  London  were  till  this  period  mostly  thatched  with 
straw  ,  for  it  appears  that  an  order  was  issued,  that  all  houses  therein  should 
be  covered  with  tiles  or  slate,  instead  of  straw;  more  especially  such  as  stood 
in  the  best  streets,  which  were  then  but  few  in  comparison  with  the  present 
for  where  Cheapside  now  stands  (which  is  the  heart  of  the  city),  was  at  that 
time  a  field,  the  principal  part  of  the  city  lying  more  eastward.  From  Tem- 
ple Bar  to  the  city  (then  the  village)  of  Westminister,  where  the  Strand  now 
stands,  was  no  more  than  a  mere  highway  or  country  road,  having,  however, 
many  noblemen's  houses  and  gardens  adjoining  to  it ;  which  have  since  given 
names  to  streets  there  erected.  This,  indeed,  was  the  case  in  several  subse» 
quent  reigns. 


EDWARD  I. 


85 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS 


Popes.  A.D. 

Honorius  111 1216 

Gregory  IX 1227 

Celestine  IV 1241 

Innocent  IV 1243 

Alexander  IV 1254 

Urban  IV 1261 

Clement  IV 1265 

Gregory  X 1271 

Emperor  a  of  the  East. 

Theodore  1 1204 

John  III 1222 

Theodore  II 1225 

John  IV 1259 


A.D. 

Michael  VIII 1259 

Emperor  of  the  West. 
Frederick  II 1211 

Kings  of  France, 

Philip  II 1180 

Louis  VIII 1223 

St.  Louis  IX 1226 

Philip  III 1270 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Alphonso  HI 1202 

SanchoII 1233 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


AlphonsusIV 1247 

Kings  of  Denmark. 

Waldemar. 1202 

Eric  VI 1240 

Abel  1 1250 

Christopher  I  . . . .   1252 
Eric  VIII 1259 

King  of  Sweden. 
Waldemar 1250 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

Alexander  II 1214 

Alexander  III 1249 


Richard  Magnus,  Edmund  of  Abingdon,  Boniface,  and  Robert  Kilwarby 
archbishops  of  Canterbury.  Des  Roches,  bishop  of  Winchester,  and  Lord 
Chancellor*  Earl  of  Pembroke,  protector.  Montford,  earl  of  Leicester 
general  of  the  barons. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


EDWARD  I. 

Born  1236.    Died  July  ?th,  1307.    Began  to  reign  Nov.  16th,  1272.    Reigned 
34  years. 
Tho  red  cross  flies  in  Holy  Land, 

The  Saracen  his  crescent  waves. 
And  English  Edward's  gallant  band 
Seek  proud  renown  or  glorious  graves. —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1274.)  While  the  unfortunate  Henry  was  thus 
vainly  struggling  with  the  ungovernable  spirit  of  his  subjects, 
his  son  and  successor,  Edward*,  was  employed  in  the  holy 
wars,  where  he  revived  the  glory  of  the  English  name,  and 
made  the  enemies  of  Christianity  tremble.  He  was  stabbed, 
however,  by  one  of  those  Mahometan  enthusiasts,  called 
Assassins,  as  he  was  one  day  sitting  in  his  tent,  and  was 
cured  not  without  great  difficulty.     2.  Some  say  that  he 


*  In  the  reigns  of  the  earlier  Norman  kings  the  Lord  Chancellor  wai 
usually  a  clergyman,  and  was  frequently  styled  the  keeper  of  the  king's 
conscience.    The  Court  of  Chancery  did  not  exist  under  the  Saxon  Dynasty. 

t  From  the  great  length  and  slenderness  of  his  legs,  he  was  surnamed 
Longshanks. 


86  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

owed  his  safety  to  the  piety  of  Eleanora,  his  wife,  who 
sucked  the  poison  from  the  wound,  to  save  his  life  at  the 
hazard  of  her  own. 

Though  the  death  of  the  late  king  happened  while  the 
successor  was  so  far  from  home,  yet  measures  had  been  so 
well  taken,  that  the  crown  was  transferred  with  the  greates* 
tranquillity. 

3.  As  Edward  was  now  come  to  an  undisputed  throne, 
the  opposite  interests  were  proportionably  feeble.  The  barons 
were  exhausted  by  long  and  mutual  dissensions  ;  the  clergy 
were  divided  in  their  interests,  and  agreed  only  in  one  point, 
to  hate  the  pope,  who  had  for  some  time  drained  them  with 
impunity ;  the  people,  by  some  insurrections  against  the 
convents,  appeared  to  hate  the  clergy  with  equal  animosity. 
But  these  disagreeing  orders  concurred  in  one  point,  that  of 
esteeming  and  reverencing  the  king,  who  therefore  thought 
this  the  most  favourable  conjuncture  for  uniting  England 
with  Wales.  4.  The  Welsh  had  for  many  ages  enjoyed 
their  own  laws,  language,  customs  and  opinions.  They 
were  the  remains  of  the  ancient  Britons,  who  had  escaped 
Roman  and  Saxon  invasions,  and  still  preserved  their  free- 
dom and  their  country  uncontaminated  by  the  admission  of 
foreign  conquerors.  5.  But  as  they  were,  from  their  num- 
ber, incapable  of  withstanding  their  more  powerful  neigh- 
bours on  the  plain,  their  chief  defence  lay  in  the  inaccessible 
mountains,  those  natural  bulwarks  of  the  country.  When- 
ever England  was  distressed  by  factions  at  home,  or  its  forces 
called  off  by  wars  abroad,  the  Welsh  made  it  a  constant 
practice  to  pour  in  their  irregular  troops,  and  lay  the  open 
country  waste  wherever  they  came.  6.  Nothing  could  be 
more  pernicious  to  a  country  than  several  neighbouring 
independent  principalities,  under  different  commanders,  and 
pursuing  different  interests;  the  mutual  jealousies  of  such 
were  sure  to  harass  the  people  ;  and,  whenever  victory  was 
purchased,  it  was  always  at  the  expense  of  the  general  wel- 
fare. 7.  Sensible  of  this,  Edward  had  long  wished  to  reduce 
that  incursive  people,  and  had  ordered  Llewelyn  to  do  ho- 
mage for  his  territories  :  which  summons  the  Welsh  prince 
refused  to  obey,  unless  the  king's  own  son  should  be  deli- 
vered as  a  hostage  for  his  safe  return.  The  king  was  not 
displeased  at  this  refusal,  as  it  served  to  give  him  a  pretext 
for  his  intended  invasion.  He  therefore  levied  an  army 
against  Llewelyn,  and  marched  into  his  country  with  certain 
assurance  of  success. 


EDWARD    1.  87 

8.  Upon  the  approach  of  Edward,  the  Welsh  prince  took 
refuge  among  the  inaccessible  mountains  of  Snowdon,*  and 
and  there  resolved  to  maintain  his  ground,  without  trusting 
to  the  chance  of  a  battle.  These  were  the  steep  retreats 
that  had  for  many  ages  defended  his  ancestors  against  all  the 
attempts  of  the  Roman  and  Saxon  conquerors.  But  Edward, 
equally  vigorous  and  cautious,  having  explored  every  part 
of  his  way,  pierced  into  the  very  centre  of  Llewelyn's  ter- 
ritories, and  approached  the  Welsh  army  in  its  vast  retreats. 
9.  Here,  after  extorting  submission  from  the  Welsh  prince, 
the  king  retired.  But  an  idle  prophecy,  in  which  it  was  fore- 
told by  Merlin  that  Llewelyn  was  to  be  the  restorer  of  Bru- 
ton's  empire  in  Britain,  was  an  inducement  sufficiently 
strong  to  persuade  this  prince  to  revolt  once  more,  and  hazard 
a  decisive  battle  against  the  English.  10.  With  this  view 
he  marched  into  Radnorshire,  and,  passing  the  river  Wye, 
his  troops  were  surprised  and  defeated  by  Edward  Mortimer, 
while  he  himself  was  absent  from  his  army,  upon  a  confer- 
ence with  some  of  the  barons  of  that  country.  Upon  his 
return,  seeing  the  dreadful  situation  of  his  affairs,  he  ran 
desperately  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy,  and  quickly  found 
that  death  he  so  ardently  sought  for.  David,  the  brother  of 
this  unfortunate  prince,  soon  after  fell  in  the  same  cause ; 
and  with  him  expired  the  independence  of  the  Welsh  nation, 
A.  D.  1282.  11.  It  was  soon  after  united  to  the  kingdom 
of  England,  and  made  a  principality,  and  given  to  the  eldest 
son  of  the  king.  Foreign  conquest  might  add  to  the  glory, 
but  this  added  to  the  felicity  of  the  kingdom.  The  Welsh 
are  now  blended  with  the  conquerors  ;  and,  in  the  revolution 
of  a  few  ages,  all  national  animosity  was  entirely  forgotten. 

12.  Soon  after,  the  death  of  Margaret,  queen  of  Scotland, 
gave  him  hopes  of  adding  Scotland  also  to  his  dominions. 
The  death  of  this  princess  produced  a  most  ardent  dispute 
about  the  succession  to  the  Scottish  throne,  it  being  claimed 
by  no  less  than  twelve  competitors.  The  claims,  however, 
of  all  the  other  candidates  were  reduced  to  three,  who  were 
the  descendants  of  the  earl  of  Huntingdon  by  three  daugh 
ters  :  John  Hastings,  who  claimed  in  right  of  his  mother, 
as  one  of  the  co-heiresses  of  the  crown ;  John  Baliol,  who 
alleged  his  right,  as  being  descended  from  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter, who  was  his  grandmother  ;  and  Robert  Bruce,  who  was 

*  From  the  summit  of  which  may  be  seen  part  of  Ireland,  Scotland,  Eng- 
land, and  all  North  Wales. 


83  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Baliol  surrendering  his  crown  to  Edward  L 

the  actual  son  of  the  second  daughter.  This  dispute  being 
referred  to  Edward's  decision,  with  a  strong  degree  of  as- 
surance he  claimed  the  crown  for  himself,  and  appointed 
Baliol  his  deputy. 

13.  Baliol  being  thus  placed  on  the  Scottish  throne,  less  a 
king  than  a  vassal",  Edward's  first  step  was  sufficient  to  con- 
vince that  people  of  his  intentions  to  stretch  the  prerogative 
to  the  utmost.  Upon  the  most  frivolous  pretence,  he  sent 
six  different  summonses  for  Baliol  to  appear  in  London,  at 
different  times  in  one  year ;  so  that  the  poor  Scottish  king 
soon  perceived  that  he  was  possessed  of  the  name  only,  but 
not  the  authority  of  a  sovereign.  Willing,  therefore,  to 
shake  off  the  yoke  of  so  troublesome  a  master,  Baliol  re- 
volted, and  procured  the  pope's  absolution  from  his  former 
oath  of  homage. 

14.  But  no  power  the  Scots  could  bring  into  the  field  was 
able  to  withstand  the  victorious  army  of  Edward.  He 
overthrew  their  forces  in  many  engagements,  and  thus  be- 
coming undisputed  master  of  the  kingdom,  he  took  every 
precaution  to  secure  his  title,  and  to  abolish  those  distinc- 
tions which  might  be  apt  to  keep  the  nation  in  its  former 
independence.  Baliol  was  carried  a  prisoner  to  London, 
and  compelled  to  surrender  his  crown ;  and  Edward  care- 
fully destroyed  all  records  and  monuments  of  antiquity  tha 
inspired  the  Scots  with  a  spirit  of  national  pride. 


EDWARD    I.  89 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  disaster  befel  Edward  in  the  Holy  Land  ? 

2.  To  whose  care  is  it  said  he  owed  his  life  ? 

3.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  kingdom  at  Edward's  accession  ? 

4.  What  was  the  state  of  the  Welsh  at  this  time  ? 

5.  What  was  the  constant  practice  of  the  Welsh  towards  England  ? 

7.  What  method  did  Edward  pursue  to  reduce  Wales  { 

8.  What  was  its  success  ? 

9.  What  induced  Llewelyn  again  to  revolt? 

10.  What  followed  this  defeat  ? 

11.  To  whom  was  the  principality  of  Wales  given  after  its  union  with 

England  ? 
*2.  What  happened,  at  this  time,  that  gave  Edward  hopes  of  adding  Scotland 

to  his  dominions  ? 
How  many  competitors  claimed  the  Scottish  throne  ?  and  what  were  the 

names  of  the  three  principal  ? 
13.    What  method  did  Baliol  take  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  Edward 
15.  What  was  the  result  of  this  struggle  for  independence  ? 


SECTION  II. 


Still  are  the  Scots  determined  to  oppose 

And  treat  intruding  Edward's  friends  as  foes; 

Till  the  revengeful  king,  in  proud  array, 

Swears  to  make  Scotland  bend  beneath  his  sway.  —  Macdonald. 

t.  (A.  D.  1296. j  These  expeditions,  however,  terminated 
•ather  in  glory  than  advantage  ;  the  expenses  which  were 
requisite  for  carrying  on  the  war  were  not  only  burdensome 
to  the  king,  but  even,  in  the  event,  threatened  to  shake  him 
on  his  throne.  In  order  at  first  to  set  the  great  machine  in 
motion,  he  raised  considerable  supplies  by  means  of  his 
parliaments,  and  that  august  body  was  then  first  modelled  by 
him  into  the  form  in  which  it  continues  to  this  day.  2.  As 
a  great  part  of  the  property  of  the  kingdom  was,  by  the  in- 
troduction of  commerce,  and  the  improvement  of  agricul- 
ture, transferred  from  the  barons  to  the  lower  classes  of  the 
people,  so  their  consent  was  now  thought  necessary  for  the 
raising  any  considerable  supplies.  For  this  reason  he  issued 
writs  to  the  sheriffs,  enjoining  them  to  send  to  parliament, 
along  with  two  knights  of  the  shire  (as  in  the  former  reign), 
two  deputies  from  each  borough  within  their  county ;  and 
these  provided  with  sufficient  power  from  their  constituents 
to  grant  such  demands  as  they  should  think  reasonable  for 
the  safety  of  the  state.  3.  One  of  the  first  efforts,  therefore, 
was  to  oblige  the  king's  council  to  sign  the  Magna  Charta, 
and  to  add  a  clause  to  secure  the  nation  for  ever  against  all 
impositions  and  taxes  without  the  consent  of  parliament. 
This  the  king's  council  (for  Edward  was  at  that  time  in 
Flanders)  readily  agreed  to  sign  ;  and  the  king  himself,  when 

h2 


90  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

it  was  sent  over  to  him,  after  some  hesitation,  thought  pro 
per  to  do  the  same.  5.  These  concessions  he  again  con- 
tinued after  his  return  :  and,  though  it  is  probable  he  was 
averse  to  granting  them,  yet  he  was  at  last  brought  to  give 
a  plenary  consent  to  all  the  articles  that  were  demanded  of 
him.  Thus,  after  the  contest  of  an  age,  the  Magna  Charta 
was  finally  established  ;  nor  was  it  the  least  circumstance 
in  its  favour,  that  its  confirmation  was  procured  from  one  of 
the  greatest  and  boldest  princes  that  ever  swayed  the  Eng- 
lish sceptre. 

5.  In  the  mean  time  William  Wallace*,  so  celebrated  in 
Scottish  story,  attempted  to  rescue  Scotland  from  the  Eng- 
lish yoke.  He  was  a  younger  son  of  a  gentleman  who  lived 
in  the  western  part  of  the  kingdom.  He  was  a  man  of  a 
gigantic  stature,  incredible  strength,  and  amazing  intrepidity ; 
eagerly  desirous  of  independence,  and  possessed  with  the 
most  disinterested  spirit  of  patriotism.  To  this  man  had 
resorted  all  those  who  were  obnoxious  to  the  English  govern- 
ment ;  the  proud,  the  bold,  the  criminal,  and  the  ambitious. 
6.  These,  bred  among  dangers  and  hardships  themselves 
could  not  forbear  admiring  in  their  leader  a  degree  of  pa 
tience  under  fatigue  and  famine,  which  they  supposed  beyond 
the  power  of  human  nature  to  endure  ;  he  soon,  therefore, 
became  the  principal  object  of  their  affection  and  their  esteem. 
His  first  exploits  were  confined  to  petty  ravages,  and  occa- 
sional attacks  upon  the  English  :  but  he  soon  overthrew  the 
English  armies  and  slew  their  generals. 

7.  Edward,  who  had  been  over  in  Flanders  while  these 
misfortunes  happened  in  England,  hastened  back  with  im- 
patience to  restore  his  authority,  and  secure  his  former  con- 
quest. He  quickly  levied  the  whole  force  of  his  dominions 
and  at  the  head  of  a  hundred  thousand  men  directed  his 
course  to  the  north,  fully  resolved  to  take  vengeance  upon 
the  Scots  for  their  late  defection. 

8.  A  battle  was  fought  at  Falkirk,  in  which  Edward  gained 
a  complete  victory,  leaving  twelve  thousand  of  the  Scots,  or 
as  some  will  have  it,  fifty  thousand,  dead  upon  the  field, 
while  the  English  had  not  a  hundred  slain.  A  blow  so 
dreadful  had  not  as  yet  entirely  crushed  the  spirit  of  the 
Scottish  nation ;  and  after  a  short  interval  they  began  to 
breathe  from  their  calamities.     9.  Wallace,  who  had  gained 

*He  was  of  an  ancient  family,  and  was  chosen  regent  of  Scotland  during 
the  captivity  of  Baliol. 


EDWARD    I.  91 

all  their  regards  by  his  valour,  shewed  that  he  still  merited 
them  more  by  his  declining  the  rewards  of  ambition.  Per- 
ceiving how  much  he  was  envied  by  the  nobility,  and  know- 
ing how  prejudicial  that  envy  would  prove  to  the  interests 
of  his  country,  he  resigned  the  regency  of  the  kingdom, 
and  humbled  himself  to  a  private  station.  10.  He  proposed 
Cummin  as  the  most  proper  person  to  supply  his  room  ;  and 
that  nobleman  endeavoured  to  show  himself  worthy  of  this 
pre-eminence.  He  soon  began  to  annoy  the  enemy ;  and, 
not  content  with  a  defensive  war,  made  incursions  into  the 
southern  counties  of  the  kingdom,  which  Edward  had  im- 
agined wholly  subdued.  They  attacked  an  army  of  English 
lying  at  Roslin,  near  Edinburgh,  and  gained  a  complete 
victory. 

11.  But  it  was  not  easy  for  any  circumstances  of  bad 
fortune  to  repress  the  enterprising  spirit  of  the  king.  He 
assembled  a  great  fleet  and  army ;  and  entering  the  frontiers 
of  Scotland,  appeared  with  a  force  which  the  enemy  could 
not  think  of  resisting  in  the  open  field.  Assured  of  suc- 
cess, he  marched  along,  and  traversed  the  kingdom  from 
one  end  to  the  other,  ravaging  the  open  country,  taking  all 
the  castles,  and  receiving  the  submissions  of  all  the  nobles. 
12.  There  seemed  to  remain  only  one  obstacle  to  the  final 
destruction  of  the  Scottish  monarchy,  and  that  was  William 
Wallace,  who  still  continued  refractory :  and  wandering 
with  a  few  forces  from  mountain  to  mountain,  preserved  his 
native  independence  and  usual  good  fortune.  But  even  their 
feeble  hopes  from  him  were  soon  disappointed ;  he  was 
betrayed  into  the  king's  hands  by  Sir  John  Monteith,  his 
friend,  whom  he  had  made  acquainted  with  the  place  of  his 
concealment,  being  surprised  by  him  as  he  lay  asleep  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Glasgow.  13.  The  king,  willing  to 
strike  the  Scots  with  an  example  of  severity,  ordered  him 
to  be  conducted  in  chains  to  London,  where  he  was  hanged, 
drawn  and  quartered,  with  the  most  brutal  ferocity. 

Robert  Bruce,  who  had  been  one  of  the  competitors  for 
the  crown,  but  was  long  kept  prisoner  in  London,  at  length 
escaping  from  his  guards,  resolved  to  strike  for  his  country's 
freedom.  14.  Having  murdered  one  of  the  king's  servants, 
he  left  himself  no  resource  but  to  confirm  by  desperate 
valour  what  he  had  begun  in  cruelty,  and  he  soon  expelled 
such  of  the  English  forces  as  had  fixed  themselves  in  the 
kingdom.  Soon  after  he  was  solemnly  crowned  king,  by 
4he  bishop  of  St.  Andrew's,  in  the  abbey  of  Scone ;  and 


92  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

numbers  flocked  to  his  standard,  resolved  to  confirm  his 
pretensions.  15.  Thus,  after  twice  conquering  the  king- 
dom, and  as  often  pardoning  the  delinquents  ;  after  having 
spread  his  victories  in  every  quarter  of  the  country,  and 
receiving  the  most  humble  submissions ;  the  old  king  saw 
that  his  whole  work  was  to  begin  afresh,  and  that  nothing 
but  the  final  destruction  of  the  inhabitants  could  give  him 
assurance  of  tranquillity.  But  no  difficulties  could  repress 
the  ardent  spirit  of  this  monarch,  who,  though  now  verging 
towards  his  decline,  yet  resolved  to  strike  a  parting  blow, 
and  to  make  the  Scots  once  more  tremble  at  his  appearance. 

16.  He  vowed  revenge  against  the  whole  nation;  and 
averred  that  nothing  but  reducing  them  to  the  completest 
bondage  could  satisfy  his  resentment.  He  summoned  his 
prelates,  nobility,  and  all  who  held  by  knight's  service,  to 
meet  him  at  Carlisle,  which  was  appointed  as  the  general 
rendezvous :  and  in  the  mean  time  he  detached  a  body  of 
forces  before  him  to  Scotland,  under  the  command  of 
Aymer  de  Valence,  who  began  the  threatened  infliction  by 
a  complete  victory  over  Bruce,  near  Methven,  in  Perthshire. 

17.  Immediately  after  this  dreadful  blow,  the  resentful  king 
appeared  in  person,  entering  Scotland  with  his  army  di- 
vided into  two  parts,  and  expecting  to  find,  in  the  opposi- 
tion of  the  people,  a  pretext  for  punishing  them.  But  this 
brave  prince,  who  was  never  cruel  but  from  motives  of 
policy,  could  not  strike  the  poor  submitting  natives,  who 
made  no  resistance.  His  anger  was  disappointed  in  their 
humiliation ;  and  he  was  ashamed  to  extirpate  those  who 
only  opposed  patience  to  his  indignation.  18.  His  death 
put  an  end  to  the  apprehensions  of  the  Scots,  and  effectually 
rescued  their  country  from  total  subjection.  He  sickened 
and  died  at  Carlisle,  of  a  dysentery:  enjoining  his  son  with 
his  last  breath,  to  prosecute  the  enterprise,  and  never  to 
desist  till  he  had  finally  subdued  the  kingdom.  He  ex- 
pired July  7,  1307,  in  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  and 
the  thirty -fifth  of  his  reign ;  after  having  added  more  to  the 
solid  interests  of  the  kingdom  than  any  of  those  who  went 
before  or  succeeded  him. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  circumstances  led  to  the  modelling  the  parliament  into  its  presen 

form? 

2.  What  was  the  manner  observed  in  framing  the  parliament  ? 

3.  What  was  one  of  their  first  efforts  ? 


EDWARD    I. 


93 


4.  Was  the  king  at  first  favourable  to  the  measure  ? 

5.  By  whom  was  an  attempt  made  to  rescue  Scotland  from  the  English 

yoke  ? 

6.  Who  were  the  first  adherents  of  Wallace  ? 

7.  With  what  number  of  troops  did  Edward  march  towards  the  north  ? 

8.  Did  any  engagement  take  place  between  the  forces  of  Edward  and 

Wallace  ? 
What  was  the  issue  of  this  engagement  ? 

9.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Wallace  afterwards  ? 

12.  In  what  manner  was  Wallace  afterwards  surprised  ? 

13.  What  was  the  manner  of  his  death  ? 

14.  What  took  place  after  Bruce's  escape  from  London  ? 

15.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  king  on  this  occasion  ? 

18.  Where  did  the  king  die  ?  and  what  enterprise  did  he  enjoin  his  son  to 
prosecute  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

Gregory  X 1271 

Innocent  V 1276 

Adrian  V 1276 

John  XXI 1276 

Nicholas  III 1277 

Martin  IV 1281 

HonoriusIV 1285 

Nicholas  IV 1288 

CelestineV 1294 

Boniface  VIII 1294 

Benedict  IX 1303 

Clement  V 1305 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
Michael  VIII 1259 


A.D. 

AndronicusII 1283 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Frederic  II* 1212 

Rodolphus  1 1273 

Adolphus  of  Nassau  1291 
Albert 1298 

Kings  of  France. 

Philip  III 1270 

Philip  IV 1285 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Adolphus  III 1247 

Dennis 1275 


Kings  of  Denmark. 

AD. 

Eric  VII 1259 

Eric  VIII 1286 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Magnus  II 1279 

Birgerll 1299 

Kings  of  Scotland. 
Alexander  III....   1246 

JohnBaliol 1293 

Robert  Bruce 1306 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

John  Peckham,  Robert  Winchelsea,  Walter  Reynolds,  and  John  Stratford 
archbishops  of  Canterbury.  Richard,  earl  of  Cornwall.  Rodger  Bigod, 
earl  of  Norfolk.  Humphry  Bohun,  earl  of  Hereford.  John  Plantagenet, 
earl  of  Warwick.    Roger  Bacon.     Wickliffe.t 


*  After  the  death  of  Frederic  II.  there  was  an  interregnum  in  the  Western 
empire  until  Rodolphus ;  during  which  the  following  princes  either  reigned, 
or  were  elected :  Conrad  III. ;  William,  earl  of  Holland ;  Richard,  earl  of 
Cornwall ;  Edward  IV. ;  and  Alphonso,  king  of  Castile. — Lochman. 

t  Wickliffe  was  the  first  preacher  of  the  reformed  doctrines  in  England , 
he  was  the  author  of  a  valuable  translation  of  the  New  Testament,  and  of 
several  able  tracts  on  the  usurpations  of  the  Romish  church. 


94  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
EDWARD  II, 

Born  1284.    Died  Sept.  21, 1327.    Began  to  reign  July  7, 1307.    Reigned  20  years. 
SECTION  I. 

Immersed  in  soft  effeminacy's  down. 

The  feeble  prince  his  subjects'  good  neglects 

For  minions,  who  monopolize  the  crown, 

And  stain  the  sceptre  which  their  vice  protects.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1307.)  Edward,  surnamed  Caernarvon,*  was 
in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age  when  he  succeeded  his 
father  ;  of  an  agreeable  figure,  of  a  mild  harmless  disposi- 
tion, and  apparently  addicted  to  few  vices.  But  he  soon 
gave  symptoms  of  his  unfitness  to  succeed  so  great  a  mo- 
narch as  his  father  ;  he  was  rather  fond  of  the  enjoyment 
of  his  power  than  of  securing  it,  and  lulled  by  the  flattery 
of  his  courtiers,  he  thought  he  had  done  enough  for  glory 
when  he  accepted  the  crown.  2.  Instead,  therefore,  of 
prosecuting  the  war  against  Scotland,  according  to  the  in- 
junctions he  had  received  from  his  dying  father,  he  took 
no  steps  to  check  the  progress  of  Bruce ;  his  march  into 
that  country  being  rather  a  procession  of  pageantry  than  a 
warlike  expedition. 

3.  Weak  monarchs  are  ever  governed  by  favourites  ;  and 
the  first  Edward  placed  his  affections  upon  was  Piers 
Gavestone,  the  son  of  a  Gascon  knight,  who  had  been  em- 
ployed in  the  service  of  the  late  king.  The  young  man 
was  adorned  with  every  accomplishment  of  person  and 
mind  that  was  capable  of  creating  affection ;  but  he  was 
utterly  destitute  of  those  qualities  of  heart  and  understanding 
that  serve  to  procure  esteem.  He  was  beautiful,  witty, 
brave,  and  active ;  but  then  he  was  vicious,  effeminate,  de- 
bauched, and  trifling.  These  were  qualities  entirely  adapted 
to  the  taste  of  the  young  monarch,  and  he  seemed  to  think  no 
rewards  equal  to  his  deserts.  4.  Gavestone,  on  the  other 
hand,  intoxicated  with  his  power,  became  haughty  and 
overbearing,  and  treated  the  English  nobility,  from  whom  it 
is  probable  he  received  marks  of  contempt,  with  scorn  and 
derision.  A  conspiracy,  therefore,  was  soon  formed  against 
him,  at  the  head  of  which  queen  Isabel  and  the  earl  of 
Lancaster,  a  nobleman  of  great  power,  were  associated. 

5.  It  was  easy  to  perceive  that  a  combination  of  the 
nobles,  while   the   queen  secretly  assisted    their  designs, 

*  From  the  place  of  his  birth,  Caernarvon  Castle  in  Wales. 


EDWARD    II.  95 

would  be  too  powerful  against  the  efforts  of  a  weak  king 
and  a  vain  favourite.  The  king,  timid  and  wavering, 
banished  him  (A.  D.  1312)  at  their  solicitation,  and  recalled 
him  soon  after.  This  was  sufficient  to  spread  an  alarm 
over  the  whole  kingdom  ;  all  the  great  barons  flew  to  arms, 
and  the  earl  of  Lancaster  put  himself  at  the  head  of  this 
irresistible  confederacy.  The  unhappy  Edward,  instead 
of  attempting  to  make  resistance,  sought  only  for  safety  : 
ever  happy  in  the  company  of  his  favourite,  he  embarked 
at  Teignmouth,  and  sailed  with  him  to  Scarborough,  where 
ne  left  Gavestone  as  in  a  place  of  safety,  and  then  went 
back  to  York  himself,  either  to  raise  an  army  to  oppose  his 
enemies,  or  by  his  presence  to  allay  their  animosity.  6.  In 
the  mean  time,  Gavestone  was  besieged  in  Scarborough  by 
the  earl  of  Pembroke  ;  and,  had  the  garrison  been  sufficiently 
supplied  with  provisions,  the  place  would  have  been  im- 
pregnable. But  Gavestone,  sensible  of  the  bad  condition 
of  the  garrison,  took  the  earliest  opportunity  to  offer  terms 
of  capitulation.  He  stipulated  that  he  should  remain  in 
Pembroke's  hands  as  a  prisoner  for  two  months  ;  and  that 
endeavours  should  be  used  in  the  mean  time  for  a  general 
accommodation.  7.  But  Pembroke  had  no  intention  that 
he  should  escape  so  easily :  he  ordered  him  to  be  conducted 
to  the  castle  of  Deddington,  near  Banbury,  where,  on  pre- 
tence of  other  business,  he  left  him  with  a  feeble  guard,  of 
which  the  earl  of  Warwick  having  received  information, 
attacked  the  castle  in  which  the  unfortunate  Gavestone  was 
confined,  and  quickly  made  himself  master  of  his  person. 
The  earls  of  Lancaster,  Hereford,  and  Arundel  were  soon 
apprized  of  Warwick's  success,  and  informed  that  their 
common  enemy  was  now  in  custody  in  Warwick  castle. 
8.  Thither,  therefore,  they  hastened  with  the  utmost  expe- 
dition, to  hold  a  consultation  upon  the  fate  of  their  prisoner. 
This  was  of  no  long  continuance ;  they  unanimously  re- 
solved to  put  him  to  death,  as  an  enemy  to  the  kingdom, 
and  gave  him  no  time  to  prepare  for  his  execution.  They 
instantly  had  him  conveyed  to  a  place  called  Blacklow-hill, 
where  a  Welsh  executioner,  provided  for  that  purpose, 
severed  his  head  from  his  body. 

9.  To  add  to  Edward's  misfortunes,  he  soon  after  suf- 
fered a  most  signal  defeat  from  the  Scots  army  under  Bruce, 
near  Bannockburn  ;*  and  this  drove  him  once  more  to  seek 

*  Near  Stirling.    Edward  was  so  sure  of  conquest,  that  he  brought  with 
him  William  Baston,  a  Carmelite,  and  a  famous  poet,  to  celebrate  his  victory. 


96  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

tor  relief  in  some  favourite's  company.  10.  The  name  of 
his  new  favourite  was  Hugh  de  Spenser,  a  young  man  of  a 
noble  English  family,  of  some  merit,  and  very  engaging 
accomplishments.  His  father  was  a  person  of  a  much 
more  estimable  character  than  the  son  ;  he  was  venerable 
for  his  years,  and  respected  through  life  for  his  wisdom, 
his  valour,  and  his  integrity.  11.  But  these  excellent  qua- 
lities were  all  diminished  and  vilified  from  the  moment  he 
and  his  son  began  to  share  the  king's  favour,  who  even  dis- 
possessed some  lords  unjustly  of  their  estates,  in  order  to 
accumulate  them  upon  his  favourite.  This  was  a  pretext 
the  king's  enemies  had  been  long  seeking  for  :  the  earls  of 
Lancaster  and  Hereford  flew  to  arms ;  sentence  was  pro- 
cured from  parliament  of  perpetual  exile  against  the  two 
Spensers,  and  a  forfeiture  of  their  fortunes  and  estates. 
12.  The  king,  however,  at  last  rousing  from  his  lethargy, 
took  the  field  in  the  defence  of  his  beloved  Spenser,  and  at 
the  head  of  thirty  thousand  men  pressed  the  earl  of  Lan- 
caster so  closely,  that  he  had  not  timejto  collect  his  forces 
together ;  and,  flying  from  one  place  to  another,  he  was  at 
last  stooped  in  his  way  towards  Scotland  by  Sir  Andrew 
Harcla,  and  made  prisoner.  13.  As  he  had  formerly  shown 
little  mercy  to  Gavestone,  there  was  very  little  extended  to 
him  upon  this  occasion.  He  was  condemned  by  a  court- 
martial  ;  and  led,  mounted  on  a  lean  horse,  to  an  eminence 
near  Pomfret,  in  circumstances  of  the  greatest  indignity, 
where  he  was  beheaded  by  a  Londoner. 

14.  A  rebellion,  thus  crushed,  served  only  to  increase  the 
pride  and  rapacity  of  young  Spenser  ;  most  of  the  forfeitures 
were  seized  for  his  use  ;  and  in  his  promptitude  to  seize  the 
delinquents,  he  was  guilty  of  many  acts  of  rapine  and  injus 
tice.* 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  disposition  of  Edward  II.  ? 

2.  What  was  his  conduct  in  regard  to  Scotland  ? 

3.  What  was  the  character  of  Gavestone,  the  king's  first  favourite? 

4.  Who  formed  a  conspiracy  against  the  king  ? 

5.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  king  on  this  occasion  ? 

*  In  the  year  1315,  the  perpetual  rains  and  cold  weather  having  not  only 
destroyed  the  harvest,  but  produced  a  mortality  among  the  cattle,  the  parlia- 
ment endeavoured  to  moderate  the  prices  of  provisions.  The  rates  establish- 
ed were,  of  our  present  money,  as  follows:  for  the  best  ox,  not  corn  fed,  2Z 
8s.,  corn  fed,  31.  12s. ;  a  fat  hog,  two  years  old,  10s. ;  a  fat  wether,  unshorn, 
5s.,  shorn,  3s.  6d. ;  a  fat  goose,  sevenpence  halfpenny ;  a  fat  capon,  6d. ;  a  fat 
hen  3d. ;  two  chickens.  3d  ;  four  pigeons,  3d. ;  and  twenty-four  eggs.  3d. 


EDWARD  II  97 

6.  Where  was  Gavestone  besieged  ?  and  on  what  conditions  did  he  sur 

render  himself? 

7,  8.  Were  these  conditions  observed  ?  and  what  was  the  conduct  of  the  no 

bles  towards  him?  ■ 

9.  What  misfortune  did  Edward  experience  in  Scotland  ? 

10.  Who  were  the  Spensers  ? 

11.  On  what  pretext  did  the  king  s  enemies  fly  to  arms  ? 

12.  How  did  the  king  act  on  this  emergency 

13.  What  was  the  manner  of  executing  the  earl  of  Lancaster  T 


SECTION  II. 

Mark  what  convulsions  heave  his  martyr'd  breast.  —  Lewis. 

I.  (A.D.  1325.)  But  he  was  now  to  oppose  a  more  for- 
midable enemy  in  queen  Isabella,  a  cruel  haughty  woman, 
who  fled  over  to  France,  and  refused  to  appear  in  England 
till  Spenser  was  removed  from  the  royal  presence,  and  ba- 
nished the  kingdom.  By  this  reply  she  gained  two  very 
considerable  advantages  :  she  became  popular  in  England, 
where  Spenser  was  universally  disliked  ;  and  she  had  the 
pleasure  of  enjoying  the  company  of  a  young  nobleman, 
whose  name  was  Mortimer,  upon  whom  she  had  lately  placed 
her  affections,  and  whom  she  indulged  with  all  the  familiari- 
ties that  her  criminal  passion  could  confer.  2.  The  queen's 
court  now,  therefore,  became  a  sanctuary  for  all  the  male 
contents  who  were  banished  their  own  country,  or  who  chose 
to  come  over.  Accordingly,  soon  after,  accompanied  by 
three  thousand  men-at-arms,  she  set  out  from  Dort*  harbour, 
and  landed  safely,  without  opposition,  on  the  coast  of  Suf- 
folk. She  had  no  sooner  appeared  than  there  seemed  a  ge- 
neral revolt  in  her  favour :  and  the  unfortunate  king  found 
the  spirit  of  disloyalty  was  not  confined  to  the  capital  alone, 
but  diffused  over  the  whole  kingdom.  3.  He  had  placed 
some  dependence  upon  the  garrison  which  was  stationed  in 
the  castle  of  Bristol,  under  the  command  of  the  elder  Spen- 
ser ;  but  they  mutinied  against  their  governor,  and  that  un- 
fortunate favourite  was  delivered  up,  and  condemned  by  the 
tumultuous  barons  to  the  most  ignominious  death.  He  was 
hanged  on  a  gibbet,  in  his  armour ;  his  body  was  cut  in 
pieces  and  thrown  to  the  dogs ;  and  his  head  was  sent  to 
Winchester,  where  it  was  set  upon  a  pole,  and  exposed  to 
the  populace, 

*  Dort,  or  Dordrecht,  is  a  city  of  Holland,  situated  on  an  island  of  the 
Meuse.  By  an*  irruption  of  the  river  Meuse,  seventy-two  villages  and  one 
hundred  thousand  persons  were  lost.  It  is  said  to  have  been  occasioned  by 
the  malice  of  a  man,  who  wished  to  inundate  his  neigh  hour's  ground,  by  do 
«troying  the  dyke  near  his  house. 

I 


98  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

4.  Young  Spenser,  the  unhappy  son,  did  not  long  survive 
his  father  ;  he  was  taken,  with  some  others  who  had  follow- 
ed the  fortunes  of  the  wretched  king,  in  an  obscure  convent 
in  Wales,  and  the  merciless  victors  resolved  to  glut  their 
revenge  in  adding  insult  to  cruelty.  The  queen  had  not  pa- 
tience to  wait  the  formality  of  a  trial,  but  ordered  him  imme- 
diately to  be  led  forth  before  the  insulting  populace,  and 
seemed  to  take  a  savage  pleasure  in  feasting  her  eyes  with 
his  distresses.  5.  The  gibbet  erected  for  his  execution  was 
fifty  feet  high  ;  his  head  was  sent  to  London,  where  the  citi- 
zens received  it  in  brutal  triumph,  and  fixed  it  on  the  bridge. 
Several  other  lords  also  shared  his  fate ;  all  deserving  pity  in- 
deed, had  they  not  themselves  formerly  justified  the  present 
inhumanity  by  setting  a  cruel  example. 

6.  In  the  mean  time,  the  king,  who  hoped  to  find  refuge  in 
Wales,  was  quickly  discovered,  and  delivered  up  to  his  ad- 
versaries, who  expressed  their  satisfaction  in  the  grossness 
of  their  treatment.  He  was  conducted  to  the  capital,  amidst 
the  insults  and  reproaches  of  the  people,  and  confined  in  the 
Tower.  A  charge  was  soon  after  exhibited  against  him,  in 
which  no  other  crimes  but  his  incapacity  to  govern,  his  in- 
dolence, his  love  of  pleasure,  and  his  being  swayed  by  evil 
counsellors,  were  objected  against  him.  His  deposition  was 
quickly  voted  by  parliament ;  he  was  assigned  a  pension  for 
nis  support :  his  son  Edward,  a  youth  of  fourteen,  was  fix- 
ed upon  to  succeed  him,  and  the  queen  was  appointed  regent 
during  the  minority.  7.  The  deposed  monarch  but  a  short 
time  survived  his  misfortunes  :  he  was  sent  from  prison  to 
prison,  a  wretched  outcast,  and  the  sport  of  his  inhuman 
keepers.  He  had  been  at  first  consigned  to  the  custody  of  the 
earl  of  Lancaster  ;  but  this  nobleman  showing  some  marks  of 
respect  and  pity,  he  was  taken  out  of  his  hands,  and  delivered 
over  to  lords  Berkeley,  Montravers,  and  Gournay,  who  were 
intrusted  with  the  charge  of  guarding  him  a  month  about.  8. 
Whatever  his  treatment  from  lord  Berkeley  might  have  been, 
the  other  two  seemed  resolved  that  he  should  enjoy  none  of 
the  comforts  of  life  while  in  their  custody.  They  practised 
every  kind  of  indignity  upon  him,  as  if  their  design  had 
been  to  accelerate  his  death  by  the  bitterness  of  his  suffer- 
ings. (A.D.  1328.)  But  when  his  persecutors  saw  that 
his  death  might  not  arrive,  even  under  every  cruelty,  till  a 
revolution  had  been  made  in  his  favour,  they  resolved  to  rid 
themselves  of  their  fears  by  destroying  him  at  once.  9. 
Accordingly  his   two   keepers,  Gournay  and   Montravers, 


EDWARD  III. 


99 


came  to  Berkeley  castle,  where  Edward  was  then  confined 
and  murdered  him  by  a  most  cruel  and  torturing  process, 
which  left  no  marks  of  external  violence. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  other  enemy  had  Edward  now  to  oppose  ? 

2.  Was  there  any  revolt  in  the  queen's  favour  ?  and  by  whom  was  she  ac 

companied  ? 

3.  What  happened  to  the  elder  Spenser  ? 

5.  In  what  manner  was  the  younger  Spenser  executed  ? 

6.  What  were  the  proceedings  against  the  king  ? 

7.  Did  the  king  long  survive  his  misfortunes  ? 

8.  Can  you  relate  the  indignities  practised  upon  him  ? 

9.  What  was  the  manner  of  the  king's  murder?  and  by  whom  was  it  com- 

mitted ? 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Clement  V 1305 

John  XXII 1316 

Emperors  of  the  East. 

Andronicus  II 1283 

Andronicus  III....  1320 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Albert  1 1298 

Henry  VIII 1304 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 

Kings  of  Denmark. 


A.D. 

Lewis  IV.... 1314 

Kings  of  France. 

Philip  IV 3284 

LewisX 1314 

Philip  V 1316 

Charles  IV 1322 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Dennis 1272 

Alphonsus  IV 1325 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


A.D. 

Eric  VIII 1286 

Christopher  11 1319 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Berger  II 1290 

Magnus  III 1320 

King  of  Scotland. 
Robert  Bruce 1306 


John  Offord,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Thomas  Plantagenet,  earl  of  Lan- 
caster. Roger,  lord  Mortimer ;  Piers  Gavestone  and  the  two  Spensers,  fa- 
vourites  of  the  king. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

EDWARD  III. 

Born  1312.    Died  June  21, 1377.    Began  to  reign  Sept.  22, 1327.    Reigned  nearly 
50  years. 

SECTION  I. 

With  form  and  aspect  to  command  respect, 
With  mind,  desert  and  talent  to  protect, 
Edward  presents  a  model  to  admire; 

His  subjects'  hearts  before  their  sovereign  bend. 
The  widow's  guardian  and  the  orphan's  sire  ; 

Foe  to  the  vicious,  to  the  good  a  friend.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1327.)  The  parliament  by  which  young  Ed- 
ward was  raised  to  the  throne,  during  the  life  of  his  father 
appointed  twelve  persons  as  his  privy  counsel,  to  direct  the 
operations  of  government.     Mortimer,  the  queen's  favourite, 


100  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

who  mignt  naturally  be  set  down  as  one  of  the  members, 
artfully  excluded  himself,  under  a  pretended  show  of  mode- 
ration ;  but  at  the  same  time  he  secretly  influenced  all 
the  measures  that  came  under  their  deliberation.  2.  He 
caused  the  greater  part  of  the  royal  revenues  to  be  settled 
on  the  queen-dowager,  and  he  seldom  took  the  trouble  to 
consult  the  ministers  of  government  in  any  public  undertak- 
ing. The  king  himself  was  even  so  besieged  by  the  fa- 
vourite's creatures,  that  no  access  could  be  procured  to  him, 
and  the  whole  sovereign  authority  was  shared  between 
Mortimer  and  the  queen,  who  took  no  care  to  conceal  her 
criminal  attachment. 

3.  At  length,  however,  Edward  was  resolved  to  shake  of! 
an  authority  that  was  odious  to  the  nation,  and  particularly 
restrictive  upon  him.  But  such  was  the  power  of  the  fa- 
vourite, that  it  required  as  much  precaution  to  overturn  the 
usurper  as  to  establish  the  throne.  The  queen  and  Morti- 
mer had  for  some  time  chosen  the  castle  of  Nottingham  for 
the  place  of  their  residence  ;  it  was  strictly  guarded,  the 
gates  locked  every  evening,  and  the  keys  carried  to  the 
queen.  4.  It  was  therefore  agreed  between  the  king  and 
some  of  the  barons,  who  secretly  entered  into  his  designs, 
to  seize  upon  them  in  the  fortress  ;  and  for  that  purpose  Sir 
William  Bland,  the  governor,  was  induced  to  admit  them 
by  a  secret  subterraneous  passage,  which  had  been  formerly 
contrived  for  an  outlet,  but  was  now  hidden  with  rubbish, 
and  known  only  to  one  or  two.  It  was  by  this,  therefore, 
the  noblemen  in  the  king's  interest  entered  in  the  night  ;  and 
Mortimer,  without  having  it  in  his  power  to  make  any  re- 
sistance, was  seized  in  apartments  adjoining  those  of  the 
queen.  5.  It  was  in  vain  that  she  endeavoured  to  protect 
him  ;  in  vain  she  entreated  them  to  spare  her  "  gentle  Mor- 
timer ;"  the  barons,  deaf  to  her  entreaties,  denied  her  that 
pity  which  she  had  so  often  refused  to  others.  Her  para- 
mour was  condemned  by  the  parliament,  which  was  then 
sitting,  without  being  permitted  to  make  his  defence,  or  even 
examining  a  witness  against  him.  He  was  hanged  on  a 
gibbet,  at  a  place  called  Elms,  about  a  mile  from  London, 
where  his  body  was  left  hanging  for  two  days  after.  6.  The 
queen,  who  certainly  was  the  most  culpable,  was  shielded 
by  the  dignity  of  her  station  ;  she  was  only  disgraced  from 
all  share  of  power,  and  confined  for  life  in  the  castle  of  Ris- 
ings, with  a  pension  of  three  thousand  pounds  a  year.  From 
this  confinement  she  was  never  after  set  free  ;  and  though 


EDWARD  III.  101 

the  king  annually  paid  her  a  visit  of  decent  ceremony,  yet 
she  found  herself  abandoned  to  universal:  cortteirxp^ and  de- 
testation ;  and  continued,  for  about  twenty-five  years  after,  a 
miserable  monument  of  blighted  ambiiion.  -  '  >V '•  » J>  :•  :  • 
7.  In  order  still  more  to  secure  the  people's-  affections,  '*;  ] 
Edward  made  a  successful  irruption  into  Scotland,  in  which, 
in  one  battle,  fought  at  Halidon  hill,  about  thirty  thousand 
of  the  Scots  were  slain.  Soon  after,  he  turned  his  arms 
against  France,  which  was  at  that  time  particularly  unfortu- 
nate. Three  sons  of  Philip  the  Fair,  in  full  parliament,  ac- 
cused their  wives  of  adultery  ;  and  in  consequence  of  this 
accusation,  they  were  condemned  and  imprisoned  for  life. 
8.  Lewis  Hutin,  successor  to  the  crown  of  France,  caused 
his  wife  to  be  strangled,  and  her  lovers  to  be  flayed  alive. 
After  his  death,  as  he  left  only  a  daughter,  his  nexi  brother, 
Philip  the  Tall,  assumed  the  crown  in  prejudice  of  the 
daughter,  and  vindicated  his  title  by  the  Salic  law,  which 
laid  it  down  that  no  female  should  succeed  to  the  crown. 
Edward,  however,  urged  his  pretensions,  as  being,  by  his 
mother  Isabella,  who  was  daughter  to  Philip  the  Fair,  and 
sister  to  the  three  last  kings  of  France,  rightful  heir  to  the 
crown.  But  first  he,  in  a  formal  manner,  consulted  his  par- 
liament on  the  propriety  of  the  undertaking,  obtained  their 
approbation,  received  a  proper  supply  of  wool,  which  he 
intended  to  barter  with  the  Flemings  ;  and  being  attended 
with  a  body  of  English  forces,  and  several  of  his  nobility, 
he  sailed  into  Flanders,  big  with  his  intended  conquests. 

9.  The  first  great  advantage  gained  by  the  English  was  in 
a  naval  engagement  on  the  coast  of  Flanders,  in  which  the 
French  lost  two  hundred  and  thirty  ships,  and  had  thirty 
thousand  of  their  seamen  and  two  of  their  admirals  slain. 

10.  The  intelligence  of  Edward's  landing,  and  the  devas- 
tation caused  by  his  troops,  who  dispersed  themselves  over 
the  whole  face  of  the  country,  soon  spread  universal  conster- 
nation through  the  French  court.  Caen  was  taken  and 
plundered  by  the  English  without  mercy ;  the  villages  and 
towns,  even  up  to  Paris,  shared  the  same  fate ;  and  the 
French  had  no  other  resource,  but  by  breaking  down  their 
bridges,  to  attempt  putting  a  stop  to  the  invader's  career. 
11.  Philip,  then  king  of  France,  was  not  idle  in  making  pre- 
parations to  repress  the  enemy.  He  had  stationed  one  of 
his  generals,  Godemar  de  Faye,  with  an  army  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  river  Somme,  over  which  Edward  was  to 

12 


102  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND, 

pass  ;  M'hile  be*  himself,  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  thon* 
*and  fighting*  men;  advanced  to  give  the  English  battle. 

12.  As  both  armies  had  for  some  time  been  in  sight  of 
•each  other,  nothing  was  so  eagerly  expected  on  each  side  as 
V  brattle ;  'and  although  the  forces  were  extremely  dispropor- 

tionatej  the  English  amounting  only  to  thirty  thousand,  the 
French  to  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand,  yet  Edward  re- 
solved to  indulge  the  impetuosity  of  his  troops,  and  to  put  all 
to  the  hazard  of  a  battle.  He  accordingly  chose  his  ground 
with  advantage,  near  the  village  of  Crecy,*  and  there  deter- 
mined to  wait  with  tranquillity  the  shock  of  the  enemy.  He 
drew  up  his  men  on  a  gentle  ascent,  and  divided  them  into 
three  lines.  The  first  was  commanded  by  the  young  prince 
of  Wales  ;  the  second  was  conducted  by  the  earls  of  North- 
ampton and  Arundel ;  and  the  third,  kept  as  a  body  of  re- 
serve, was  headed  by  the  king  in  person. 

13.  On  the  other  side,  Philip,  impelled  by  resentment, 
and  confident  of  his  numbers,  was  more  solicitous  in  bring- 
ing the  enemy  to  an  engagement  than  prudent  in  taking 
measures  for  its  success.  He  led  on  his  army  in  three 
bodies  opposite  to  those  of  the  English.  The  first  line  con- 
sisted of  fifteen  thousand  Genoese  cross-bow  men,  the  second 
body  was  led  by  the  king  of  France's  brother,  and  he  him- 
self was  at  the  head  of  the  third. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

2.  By  whom,  and  in  what  manner,  were  the  operations  of  the  government 
conducted  ? 

4.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  king  at  this  time  ? 

5.  What  was  the  fate  of  Mortimer  ? 
What  was  the  queen's  punishment  ? 

7.  In  what  undertaking  did  Edward  succeed  ? 

8.  What  is  the  Salic  law  ? 

9.  What  was  the  first  advantage  gained  by  the  English  ? 

10.  What  did  the  English  in  France  ? 

11.  What  preparations  did  the  king  of  France  make  to  oppose  Edward  ? 

12.  Where  did  Edward  choose  his  ground  ? 

How  did  he  draw  up  his  army  ?  and  who  conducted  it  ? 
13   How  did  Philip  lead  on  his  army  ? 

*  Here  ihe  king  of  Bohemia  was  slain,  and  the  motto,  "  Ich  dien,"  I  serve, 
was  found  under  the  ostrich  feathers  which  he  wore  on  his  helmet  Edward, 
the  Black  Prince,  adopted  this  motto,  and  it  has  ever  since  continued  to  be 
the  motto  of  the  prince  of  Wales.  At  this  battle,  cannon  were  first  made 
use  of 


EDWARD    III.  103 

SECTION  II. 

}n  frequent  showers  their  shafts  the  archers  hail'd, 
n  headlong  charge  successive  hosts  aasail'd : 
But  motionless  as  his  own  island's  rocks, 
Uudaunted  Edward  met  their  furious  shocks. — Cooke. 

1.  (A.U.  1346.)  About  three  in  the  afternoon,  the  famou3 
battle  of  Crecy  began,  by  the  French  king's  ordering  the 
Genoese  archers  to  charge ;  but  they  were  so  fatigued  with 
their  march,  that  they  cried  out  for  a  little  rest  before  they 
should  engage.  The  count  Alencon,  being  informed  of  their 
petition,  rode  up,  and  reviled  them  as  cowards,  commanding 
them  to  begin  their  onset  without  delay.  Their  reluctance 
to  begin  was  still  more  increased  by  a  heavy  shower,  which 
fell  at  that  instant,  and  relaxed  their  bow-strings ;  so  that 
the  discharge  they  made  produced  but  very  little  effect.  2. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  English  archers,  who  had  kept  their 
bows  in  cases,  and  were  favoured  by  a  sudden  gleam  of  sun- 
shine, that  rather  dazzled  the  enemy,  let  rly  their  arrows  so 
thick,  and  with  such  good  aim,  that  nothing  was  to  be  seen 
among  the  Genoese  but  hurry,  terror,  and  dismay.  The 
young  prince  of  Wales  had  presence  of  mind  to  take  advan- 
tage of  their  confusion,  and  to  lead  on  his  line  to  the  charge. 
The  French  cavalry,  however,  commanded  by  the  count 
Alencon,  wheeling  round,  sustained  the  combat,  and  began 
to  hem  the  English  in.  3.  The  earls  of  Arundel  and  North- 
ampton now  came  to  assist  the  prince,  who  appeared  fore- 
most in  the  very  shock ;  and,  wherever  he  appeared,  turned 
the  fortune  of  the  day.  The  thickest  of  the  battle  was  now 
gathered  around  him,  and  the  valour  of  a  boy  filled  even 
veterans  with  astonishment ;  but  their  surprise  at  his  courage 
could  not  give  way  to  their  fears  for  his  safety.  Being  ap- 
prehensive that  some  mischance  might  happen  to  him  at  the 
end,  an  officer  was  despatched  to  the  king,  desiring  that  suc- 
cours might  be  sent  to  the  prince's  relief.  4.  Edward,  who 
had  all  this  time,  with  great  tranquillity,  viewed  the  engage- 
ment from  a  windmill,  demanded,  with  seeming  deliberation, 
if  his  son  were  dead  ;  but  being  answered  that  he  still  lived, 
and  was  giving  astonishing  instances  of  his  valour,  "  Then 
tell  my  generals,"  cried  the  king,  "  that  he  shall  have  no  as- 
sistance from  me ;  the  honour  of  the  day  shall  be  his  ;  let 
him  show  himself  worthy  of  the  profession  of  arms,  and 
let  him  be  indebted  to  his  own  merit  alone  for  victory."  5. 
This  speech,  being  reported  to  the  prince  and  his  attendants, 
inspired  them  with  new  courage  ;  they  made  a  fresh  attack 
upon  the  French  cavalry,  and  count  Alencon,  their  bravest 


104 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


King  Edward  III.  and  the  burgesses  of  Calais. 

commander,  was  slain.  This  was  the  beginning  of  their 
total  overthrow ;  the  French,  being  now  without  a  compe- 
tent leader,  were  thrown  into  confusion ;  the  whole  army 
took  to  flight,  and  were  put  to  the  sword  by  the  pursuers 
without  mercy,  till  night  stopped  the  carnage.  6.  Never 
was  a  victory  more  seasonable,  or  less  bloody  to  the  English, 
than  this.  Notwithstanding  the  great  slaughter  of  the  enemy, 
the  conquerors  lost  but  one  squire,  three  knights,  and  a  few 
of  inferior  rank. 

But  this  victory  was  attended  with  still  more  substantial 
advantages  ;  for  Edward,  as  moderate  in  conquest  as  prudent 
in  his  methods  to  obtain  it,  resolved  to  secure  an  easy  en- 
trance into  France  for  the  future.  7.  With  this  view  he  laid 
siege  to  Calais,  at  that  time  defended  by  John  de  Vienne, 
an  experienced  commander,  and  supplied  with  every  thing 
necessary  for  defence.  These  operations,  though  slow 
were  at  length  successful.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  governor 
made  a  noble  defence,  that  he  excluded  all  the  uselesb 
mouths  from  the  city,  which  Edward  generously  permitted 
to  pass.  8.  Edward  resolved  to  reduce  it  by  famine,  and 
it  was  at  length  taken,  after  a  twelve  months'  siege,  the  de- 
fendants having  been  reduced  to  the  last  extremity.  He  re- 
solved to  punish  the  obstinacy  of  the  townsmen  by  the  death 
of  six  of  the  most  considerable  citizens,  who  offered  them- 
selves, with  ropes  round  their  necks,  to  satiate  his  indigna- 
tion ;  buthe  spared  their  lives  at  the  intercession  of  the  queen 


EDWARD    III.  105 

9.  While  Edward  was  reaping  victories  upon  the  conti- 
nent, the  Scots,  ever  willing  to  embrace  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity of  rapine  and  revenge,  invaded  the  frontiers  with  a 
numerous  army,  headed  by  David  Bruce,  their  king.  This 
unexpected  invasion,  at  such  a  juncture,  alarmed  the  English, 
but  was  not  capable  of  intimidating  them.  10.  Lionel, 
Edward's  son,  who  was  left  guardian  of  England  during  his 
father's  absence,  was  yet  too  young  to  take  upon  him  the 
command  of  an  army ;  but  the  victories  on  the  continent 
seemed  to  inspire  even  women  with  valour.  Philippa,  Ed- 
ward's queen,  took  upon  her  the  conduct  of  the  field,  and 
prepared  to  repulse  the  enemy  in  person  :  accordingly,  hav- 
ing made  lord  Percy  general  under  her,  she  met  the  Scots  at 
a  place  called  Nevil's  Cross,  near  Durham,  and  offered  them 
battle.  11.  The  Scots  king  was  no  less  impatient  to  engage  ; 
he  imagined  that  he  might  obtain  an  easy  victory  against 
undisciplined  troops,  and  headed  by  a  woman.  But  he  was 
miserably  deceived.  His  army  was  quickly  routed  and 
driven  from  the  field.  Fifteen  thousand  of  his  men  were 
cut  to  pieces  ;  and  he  himself,  with  many  of  his  nobles  and 
knights,  were  taken  prisoners,  and  carried  in  triumph  to 
London,  A.D.  1346. 

12.  A  victory  gained  by  the  Black  Prince,*  near  Poictiers, 
followed  not  long  after,  in  which  John,  king  of  France,  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  led  in  triumph  through  London,  amidst 
an  amazing  concourse  of  spectators.  Two  kings,  prisoners 
in  the  same  court,  and  at  the  same  time,  were  considered  as 
glorious  achievements  ;  but  all  that  England  gained  by  them 
was  only  glory.  Whatever  was  won  in  France,  with  all 
the  dangers  of  war,  and  the  expense  of  preparation,  was 
successively,  and  in  a  manner,  silently  lost,  without  the 
mortification  of  a  defeat. 

13.  The  English,  by  their  frequent  supplies,  had  been 
quite  exhausted,  and  were  unable  to  continue  an  army  in  the 
field.  Charles,  who  had  succeeded  his  father  John,  who 
died  a  prisoner  in  the  Savoy,  on  the  other  hand,  cautiously 
forbore  to  come  to  any  decisive  engagement ;  but  was  con- 
tent to  let  his  enemies  waste  their  strength  in  attempts  to 
plunder  a  fortified  country.  When  they  were  tired,  he  then 
was  sure  to  sally  forth,  and  possess  himself  of  such  places 
as  they  were  not  strong  enough  to  defend.  14.  He  first  fell 
upon  Ponthieu  ;  the  citizens  of  Abbeville  opened  their  gates 
to  him ;  those  of  St.  Valois,  Rue,  and  Crotoy  imitated  the 

*  Edward,  the  Prince  of  Wales.    He  was  called  the  Black  Prince, 
from  the  color  of  his  armor. 


100  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

example  ;  and  the  whole  country  was,  in  a  little  time,  re- 
duced to  total  submission.  The  southern  provinces  were,  in 
the  same  manner,  invaded  by  his  generals  with  equal  suc- 
cess; while  the  Black  Prince,  destitute  of  supplies  from 
England,  and  wasted  by  a  cruel  and  consumptive  disorder, 
was  obliged  to  return  to  his  native  country,  leaving  the  affairs 
of  the  south  of  France  in  a  most  desperate  condition.  15. 
But  what  of  all  other  things  served  to  cast  a  gloom  over  the 
latter  part  of  this  splendid  reign  was  the  approaching  death 
of  the  Black  Prince,  whose  constitution  showed  but  too 
manifestly  the  symptoms  of  a> speedy  dissolution.  This 
valiant  and  accomplished  prince  died  in  the  forty-sixth  year 
of  his  age,  leaving  behind  him  a  character  without  a  single 
blemish  ;  and  a  degree  of  sorrow  among  the  people  that  time 
could  scarcely  alleviate. 

16.  The  king  was  most  sensibly  affected  with  the  loss  of 
his  son,  and  tried  every  art  to  allay  his  uneasiness.  He 
removed  himself  entirely  from  the  duties  and  burdens  of  the 
state,  and  left  his  kingdom  to  be  plundered  by  a  set  of  rapa- 
cious ministers.  He  did  not  survive  the  consequences  of 
his  bad  conduct,  but  died  about  a  year  after  the  prince,  at 
Sheene,  in  Surrey,  deserted  by  all  his  courtiers,  even  by 
those  who  had  grown  rich  by  his  bounty.  He  expired 
in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  and  fifty-first  of  his 
reign,  1377  ;  a  prince  more  admired  than  beloved  by  his 
subjects,  and  more  an  object  of  their  applause  than  their 
sorrow. 

17.  It  was  in  this  reign  that  the  order  of  the  Garter  was 
instituted ;  the  number  was  to  consist  of  twenty-four  per- 
sons besides  the  king.  A  story  prevails,  but  unsupported 
by  any  ancient  authority,  that  the  countess  of  Salisbury,  at 
a  ball,  happening  to  drop  her  garter,  the  king  took  it  up, 
and  presented  it  to  her  with  these  words,  "  Honi  soi  qui 
mal  y  pense  ;" — "  Evil  be  to  him  that  evil  thinks."  This 
accident,  it  is  said,  gave  rise  to  the  order  and  the  motto,* 
A.  D.  1349. 

Edward  left  many  children  by  his  queen,  Philippa  of 
Hainhault.     His  eldest  son,  the  Black  Prince,  died  before 

*  "  Some  do  affirme,  that  this  order  beganne  fyrst  by  king  Richard  Ccenr  de 
Lion,  at  the  siege  of  the  eitie  of  Acres,  where  in  his  greate  necessytie  there 
was  but  twenty-five  knights  that  firmlye  and  surelye  abode  by  him,  where  he 
caused  all  of  them  to  wear  thonges  of  blue  leythere  aboute  their  legges,  and 
afterwards  they  were  called  knights."— RastelVs  Chronicle. 


EDWARD  III. 


107 


him ;  but  he  left  a  son  named  Richard,  who  succeeded  to  the 
ihrone.* 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  Describe  the  situation  and  conduct  of  the  Genoese  archers. 

2.  What  circumstances  operated  in  favour  of  the  English  archers  ? 
What  advantage  did  the  prince  of  Wales  take  of  it? 

3.  What  astonishing  bravery  did  the  prince  display  ? 

4.  What  answer  did  the  king  make,  when  he  was  requested  to  send  relief 

to  the  prince  ? 
6.  How  many  did  the  English  lose  in  the  battle  ? 

8.  How  long  did  Edward  besiege  Calais  ? 

9.  What  did  the  Scots  in  the  mean  time  ? 

10.  What  female  prepared  to  repulse  the  enemy  ? 

11.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  Scotch  ? 

12.  What  did  England  gain  by  its  royal  prisoners  ? 

14.  What  obliged  the  Black  Prince  to  return  to  England  ? 

15.  What  character  is  given  of  the  prince  ? 

17.  When  was  the  order  of  the  Garter  instituted  ? 

What  accident  is  said  to  have  given  rise  to  the  institution  of  this  order  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.D. 

John  XII 1316 

Benedict  XI......  1334 

Clement  VI 1342 

Innocent  VI 1352 

Urban  V 1362 

Gregory  XI 1370 

Emperors  of  the  East. 
Andronicus  III ... .   1320 

John  V 1341 

John  VI 1355 

Emperors  of  the  West. 
Louis  IV 1314 


A.D. 

Charles  IV 1347 

Kings  of  France. 

Charles  IV 1322 

Philip  VI 1328 

John  1 1353 

Charles  V 1364 

Kings  of  Portugal. 
Alphonsus  IV....   1325 

Pedro  1 1357 

Ferdinand  1 1367 

Kings  of  Denmark. 
Christopher  II....   1319 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


A.D. 

Waldemarin...  1340 
OlausIII 1375 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Magnus  I II 1320 

Albert 1363 

Kings  of  Scotland. 
Robert  Bruce ... .  1306 

David  II 1330 

Edward  Baliol...  1332 
David  II.  (restor.)  1342 
Robert  (Stuart)  II.  1370 


Thomas  Brad  ward  in,  Simon  Islip,  Simon  Langham,  William  Whittlesey, 
and  Simon  Sudbury,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.  Edward,  the  Black  Prince, 
lohn  Lord  Chandos.    Latimer,  the  lord  chamberlain,  &c. 


*In  this  reign  the  statute  of  high-treason  was  first  enacted.  St  Stephen's 
chapel  (now  the  house  of  commons)  was  built,  and  Windsor  castle  changed 
from  a  fortress  to  a  palace. 


108  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

RICHARD  II. 

Born  1367.    Deposed  Sept.  30, 1399.    Died  Jan.  10, 1400.    Began  to  reign 
June  21,  1377.    Reigned  22£  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Sprung  from  a  sire  and  grandsire  of  renown, 

Yet  he  was  scarce  deserving  of  a  crown. —  Egerton. 

1.  (A.  D.  1377.)  Richard  the  Second  was  but  eleven 
years  old  when  he  came  to  the  throne  of  his  grandfather, 
and  found  the  people  discontented  and  poor,  the  nobles 
proud  and  rebellious.  As  he  was  a  minor,  the  government 
was  vested  in  the  hands  of  his  three  uncles,  the  dukes  of 
Lancaster,  York,  and  Gloucester ;  and  as  the  late  king  had 
left  the  kingdom  involved  in  many  dangerous  and  expensive 
wars,  which  demanded  large  and  constant  supplies,  the 
murmurs  of  the  people  increased  in  proportion.  2.  The 
expenses  of  armaments  to  face  the  enemy  on  every  side, 
and  a  want  of  economy  in  the  administration,  entirely  ex- 
hausted the  treasury ;  and  a  new  tax  of  three  groats  on 
every  person  above  fifteen  was  granted  by  parliament  as  a 
supply.  The  indignation  of  the  people  had  been  for  some 
time  increasing  ;  but  a  tax  so  unequitable,  in  which  the 
rich  paid  no  more  than  the  poor,  kindled  the  resentment  of 
the  latter  into  a  flame.  3.  It  began  in  Essex,  where  a 
report  was  industriously  spread  that  the  peasants  were  to  be 
destroyed,  their  houses  burned,  and  their  farms  plundered. 
A  blacksmith,  well  known  by  the  name  of  Wat  Tyler,  was 
the  first  that  incited  them  to  arms.  The  tax-gatherers, 
coming  to  this  man's  house  while  he  was  at  work,  demanded 
payment  for  his  daughter,  which  he  refused,  alleging  she 
was  under  the  age  mentioned  in  the  act.  4.  One  of  the 
brutal  collectors  insisted  on  her  being  a  full-grown  woman, 
and  behaved  in  the  most  indecent  manner.  This  provoked 
the  father  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  instantly  struck  him 
dead  with  a  blow  of  his  hammer.  The  standers-by  ap- 
plauded his  spirit,  and  one  and  all  resolved  to  defend  his  con- 
duct. He  was  considered  as  a  champion  in  the  cause,  and 
appointed  the  leader  and  spokesman  of  the  people.  5.  It 
is  easy  to  imagine  the  disorders  committed  by  this  tumultuous 
rabble ;  the  whole  neighbourhood  rose  in  arms :  they  burned 


RICHARD    II.  109 

and  plundered  wherever  they  came,  and  revenged  upon  their 
former  masters  all  those  insults  which  they  had  long  sus- 
tained with  impunity.  As  the  discontent  was  general,  the 
insurgents  increased  in  proportion  as  they  approached  the 
capital.  The  flame  soon  propagated  itself  into  Kent,  Here- 
fordshire, Surrey,  Suffolk,  Norfolk,  Cambridge,  and  Lincoln. 
6.  They  were  found  to  amount  to  above  a  hundred  thousand 
men  by  the  time  they  arrived  at  Blackheath.  At  the  head 
of  one  party  of  these  was  Wat  Tyler,  who  led  his  men 
into  Smithfield,  where  he  was  met  by  the  king,  who  invited 
him  to  a  conference,  under  a  pretence  of  hearing  and  re- 
dressing his  grievances.  Tyler,  ordering  his  companions 
to  retire  till  he  should  give  them  a  signal,  boldly  ventured 
to  meet  the  king  in  the  midst  of  his  retinue,  and  accordingly 
began  the  conference.  7.  The  demands  of  this  demagogue 
are  censured  by  all  the  historians  of  the  time  as  insolent 
and  extravagant ;  and  yet  nothing  can  be  more  just  than 
those  they  have  delivered  for  him.  He  required  that  all 
slaves  should  be  set  free,  and  all  commonages  should  be 
open  to  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich ;  and  that  a  general 
pardon  should  be  passed  for  the  late  outrages.  8.  Whilst 
he  made  these  demands,  he  now  and  then  lifted  up  his 
sword  in  a  menacing  manner;  which  insolence  so  raised  the 
indignation  of  William  Walworth,  then  mayor  of  London, 
attending  on  the  king,  that  without  considering  the  danger 
to  which  he  exposed  his  majesty,  he  stunned  Tyler  with  a 
blow  of  his  mace,  while  one  of  the  king's  knights,  riding 
up,  despatched  him  with  his  sword.  9.  The  mutineers, 
seeing  their  leader  fall,  prepared  themselves  to  take  revenge ; 
and  their  bows  were  now  bent  for  execution,  when  Richard, 
though  not  yet  quite  sixteen  years  of  age,  rode  up  to  the  rebels, 
and  with  admirable  presence  of  mind,  cried  out,  "  What, 
my  people,  will  you  then  kill  your  king  ?  Be  not  concerned 
for  the  loss  of  your  leader;  I  myself  will  now  be  your 
general;  follow  me  now  into  the  field,  and  you  shall  have 
whatever  you  desire."  The  awed  multitude  immediately 
desisted  :  they  followed  the  king,  as  if  mechanically,  into 
the  field,  and  there  he  granted  them  the  same  charter  that 
he  had  before  given  to  their  companions,  but  which  he  soon 
afterwards  revoked  in  parliament.* 

*  Gower,  the  poet,  wrote  some  Latin  verses  on  this  rebellion,  part  of  which 
are  here  inserted,  as  a  specimen  of  the  literature  of  this  reign  j  nor  will  they 
be  less  acceptable,  we  trust,  from  the  ludicrous  effect  produced  by  putting 
English  nick-names  into  a  Latin  dress : 

K 


110  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

10.  Hitherto  the  king  had  acted  under  the  control  of  the 
regency,  who  did  all  they  could  devise  to  abridge  his  power. 
However,  in  an  extraordinary  council  of  the  nobility,  as- 
sembled after  Easter,  he,  to  the  astonishment  of  all  present, 
desired  to  know  his  age  ;  and  being  told  that  he  was  turned 
of  two-and-twenty,  he  alleged  that  it  was  time  then  for  him 
to  govern  without  help ;  and  that  there  was  no  reason  that 
he  should  be  deprived  of  those  rights  which  the  meanest  of 
his  subjects  enjoyed. 

1 1 .  Being  thus  set  at  liberty  to  conduct  the  business  of 
government  at  discretion,  it  quickly  appeared  that  he  wanted 
those  arts  that  are  usually  found  to  procure  a  lasting  respect; 
he  was  fond  of  luxurious  pleasures  and  idle  ostentation ;  he 
admitted  the  meanest  ranks  to  his  familiarity  ;  and  his  con- 
versation was  not  adapted  to  impress  them  with  a  reverence 
for  his  morals  or  abilities.  12.  The  cruelty  shown  to  the 
duke  of  Gloucester,  who,  upon  slight  suspicions,  was  sent 
to  confinement  in  Calais,  and  there  murdered  in  prison, 
with  some  other  acts  equally  arbitrary,  did  not  fail  to  in- 
crease those  animosities  which  had  already  taken  deep  root 
in  the  kingdom.  The  aggrandizement  of  some  new  favour- 
ites contributed  still  more  to  make  the  king  odious ;  but 
though  he  seemed  resolved,  by  all  his  actions,  to  set  his 
subjects  against  him,  it  was  accident  that  gave  occasion  for 
his  overthrow.  13.  The  duke  of  Hereford  appeared  in 
parliament,  and  accused  the  duke  of  Norfolk  of  having 
spoken  seditious  words  against  his  majesty  in  a  private  con- 
versation. Norfolk  denied  the  charge,  gave  Hereford  the 
lie,  and  offered  to  prove  his  innocence  by  single  combat. 


1  Watte  vocat  cui  Thoma  venit,  neque  Symme  retardat, 

Batque,  Gibbe  simul,  Hykke  venire  subent. 
Colle  furit  quern  Bobbe  juvat,  nocumenta  parantes, 

Cum  quibus  ad  damnum  Wille  coire  volat. 
Grigge  rapit,  dum  Davie  strepit,  comes  est  quibus  Hobbe 

Larkin  et  in  medio  non  minor  esse  putat. 
Hudde  ferit,  quem  Judde  terit,  dum  Tibbe  juvatur, 

Jacke  domosque  viros  vellit,  et  ense  necat,"  &e. 

Which  are  thus  humorously  translated  by  Andrews. 

Wat  cries,  Tom  flies,  nor  Svmkin  stays  aside ; 

And  Batt  and  Gibb,  and  Hyke,  they  summon  loud, 
Collin  and  Hob  combustibles  provide, 

While  Will  the  mischief  forwards  in  the  crowd ; 
Greg  hawls,  Bob  bawls,  and  Davy  joins  the  cry, 

With  Lary,  not  the  least  among  the  throng  ; 
Hodge  drubs,  Jude  scrubs,  while  Tib  stands  grinning  by, 

And  Jack  with  sword  and  fire-brand  madly  strides  along. 


RICHARD    II.  Ill 

As  proofs  were  wanting  for  legal  trial,  the  lords  readily  ac- 
quiesced in  that  mode  of  determination ;  the  time  and  place 
were  appointed,  and  the  whole  nation  waited  with  anxious 
suspense  for  the  event.  14.  At  length  the  day  arrived  on 
which  the  duel  was  to  be  fought ;  and  the  champions  having 
just  begun  their  career,  the  king  stopped  the  combat,  and 
ordered  both  the  combatants  to  leave  the  kingdom.  The 
duke  of  Norfolk  he  banished  for  life,  but  the  duke  of  Here- 
ford only  for  ten  years.  Thus  the  one  was  condemned  to 
exile  without  being  charged  with  any  offence,  and  the  othei 
without  being  convicted  of  any  crime.  The  duke  of  Nor- 
folk was  overwhelmed  with  grief  and  despondence  at  the 
judgment  awarded  against  him :  he  retired  to  Venice,  where, 
in  a  little  time  after,  he  died  of  a  broken  heart.  15.  Here- 
ford's behaviour  on  this  occasion  was  resigned  and  sub- 
missive, which  so  pleased  the  king,  that  he  consented  to 
shorten  the  date  of  his  banishment  four  years  ;  and  he  also 
granted  him  letters  patent,  ensuring  him  the  enjoyment  of 
any  inheritance  which  should  fall  to  him  during  his  absence ; 
but  upon  the  death  of  his  father,  the  duke  of  Lancaster, 
which  happened  shortly  after,  Richard  revoked  those  letters, 
and  retained  the  possession  of  the  Lancaster  estate  to  him- 
self.    A.  D.  1388. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  At  what  age  and  under  what  circumstances  did  Richard  come  to  the 

throne  ? 

2.  In  whose  hands  was  the  government  vested  ? 

3.  Who  was  the  first  person  that  excited  the  people  to  arms  ? 

5,  6.  What  disorders  were  committed  by  the  rebels  ?  and  who  was  therr 
leader  ? 

7.  What  conditions  were  requested  from  the  king  by  Wat  Tyler  ? 

8.  By  whom  was  Wat  Tyler  slain  ? 

9.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  king  on  this  occasion? 

10.  Did  the  subsequent  conduct  of  the  king  serve  to  make  him  respected  by 
his  subjects  ? 

13.  What  gave  occasion  to  his  overthrow  ? 

14.  With  what  severity  did  the  king  treat  Norfolk  and  Hereford  ? 


SECTION  II. 

O  !  let  ua  then  intestive  discord  shun, 

We  ne'er  can  be  but  by  ourselves  undone.  —  Savage. 

1.  (A.  D.  1398.)  Such  complicated  injuries  served  to 
inflame  the  resentment  of  Hereford  against  the  king  ;  and 
although  he  had  hitherto  concealed  it,  he  now  set  no  bounds 
to  his  indignation,  but  even  conceived  a  desire  of  dethroning 


112  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

a  person  who  had  shown  himself  so  unworthy  of  power 
Indeed,  no  man  could  be  better  qualified  for  an  enterprise 
of  this  nature  than  the  earl  of  Hereford;  he  was  cool, 
cautious,  discerning,  and  resolute.  2.  He  had  served  with 
distinction  against  the  infidels  of  Lithuania;  and  he  had 
thus  joined  to  his  other  merits  those  of  piety  and  valour. 
He  was  stimulated  by  private  injuries,  and  had  alliance  and 
fortune  sufficient  to  give  weight  to  his  measures.  He  only 
waited  the  absence  of  the  king  from  England  to  put  his 
schemes  into  execution ;  and  Richard's  going  over  into  Ire- 
land, to  quell  an  insurrection  there,  was  the  opportunity  he 
had  long  looked  for. 

3.  Accordingly  he  instantly  embarked  at  Nantz,  with  a 
retinue  of  sixty  persons,  in  three  small  vessels,  and  landed 
at  Ravenspur,  in  Yorkshire.  The  earl  of  Northumberland, 
who  had  long  been  a  malecontent,  together  with  Henry  Percy, 
his  son,  who,  from  his  ardent  valour,  was  surnamed  Hot- 
spur, immediately  joined  them  with  their  forces.  After  this 
junction  the  concourse  of  people  coming  to  enlist  under 
his  banner  was  so  great,  that  in  a  few  days  his  army 
amounted  to  sixty  thousand  men. 

4.  While  these  things  were  transacting  in  England, 
Richard  continued  in  Ireland  in  perfect  security.  Contrary 
winds,  for  three  weeks  together,  prevented  his  receiving  any 
news  of  the  rebellion  which  had  begun  in  his  native  do- 
minions ;  wherefore,  upon  landing  at  Milford  Haven  with  a 
body  of  twenty  thousand  men,  he  saw  himself  in  a  dreadful 
situation,  in  the  midst  of  an  enraged  people,  without  any 
friend  on  whom  to  rely ;  and  forsaken  by  those  who,  in  the 
sunshine  of  his  power,  had  only  contributed  to  fan  his 
follies.  5.  His  little  army  gradually  began  to  desert  him, 
till  at  last  he  found  that  he  had  not  above  six  thousand  men 
who  followed  his  standard.  Thus  not  knowing  whom  to 
trust,  or  where  to  turn,  he  saw  no  other  hopes  of  safety 
but  to  throw  himself  upon  the  generosity  of  the  enemy, 
and  to  gain  from  pity  what  he  could  not  obtain  by  arms. 
He  therefore  sent  Hereford  word  that  he  was  ready  to  sub- 
mit to  whatever  terms  he  thought  proper  to  prescribe,  and 
that  he  earnestly  desired  a  conference.  6.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  earl  appointed  him  to  meet  at  a  castle  within  about 
ten  miles  of  Chester,  where  he  came  next  day  with  his 
army.  Richard,  who  the  day  before  had  been  brought 
thither  by  the  duke  of  Northumberland,  descrying  his 
rival's  approach  from  the  walls,  went  down  to  receive  him ; 


RICHARD    II.  113 

while  Hereford,  after  some  ceremony,  entered  the  castle  in 
complete  armour,  only  his  head  was  bare,  in  compliment  to 
the  fallen  king.  7.  Richard  received  him  with  that  open 
air  for  which  he  had  been  remarkable,  and  kindly  bade 
him  welcome.  "  My  lord  king,"  returned  the  earl,  with  a 
cool  respectful  bow,  "I  am  come  sooner  than  you  appointed, 
because  your  people  say,  that  for  one-and-twenty  years  yon 
have  governed  with  rigour  and  indiscretion.  They  arr 
very  ill  satisfied  with  your  conduct ;  but  if  it  please  God,  i 
will  help  you  to  govern  them  better  for  the  time  to  come." 
To  this  declaration  the  king  made  no  other  answer  but 
"  Fair  cousin,  since  it  pleases  you,  it  pleases  us  likewise." 
8.  But  Hereford's  haughty  answer  was  not  the  only 
mortification  the  unfortunate  Richard  was  to  endure.  After 
a  short  conversation  with  some  of  the  king's  attendants, 
Hereford  ordered  the  king's  horses  to  be  brought  out  of  the 
stable ;  and  the  wretched  animals  being  produced,  Richard 
was  placed  upon  one,  and  his  favourite,  the  earl  of  Salis- 
bury, on  the  other.  9.  In  this  mean  equipage  they  rode  to 
Chester;  and  were  conveyed  to  the  castle  with  a  great 
noise  of  trumpets,  and  through  a  vast  concourse  of  people, 
who  were  no  way  moved  at  the  sight.  In  this  mariner  he 
was  led  triumphantly  along  from  town  to  town,  amidst  mul- 
titudes, who  scoffed  at  him,  and  extolled  his  rivals.  "  Long 
live  the  good  duke  of  Lancaster,  our  deliverer!"  was  the 
general  cry ;  but  as  for  the  king,  to  use  the  pathetic  words 
of  the  poet,  "  None  cried  God  bless  him  !"  10.  Thus, 
after  repeated  indignities,  he  was  confined  a  close  prisoner 
in  the  Tower,  there,  if  possible,  to  undergo  a  still  greater 
variety  of  studied  insolence  and  flagrant  contempt.  The 
wretched  monarch,  humbled  in  this  manner,  began  to  lose 
the  pride  of  a  king  with  the  splendours  of  royalty,  and  his 
spirit  sunk  to  his  circumstances.  There  was  no  great  dif- 
ficulty, therefore,  in  inducing  him  to  sign  a  deed,  by  which 
he  renounced  his  crown,  as  being  unqualified  for  governing 
the  kingdom.  11.  Upon  this  resignation  Hereford  founded 
his  principal  claim  :  but,  willing  to  fortify  his  pretensions 
with  every  appearance  of  justice,  he  called  a  parliament, 
which  was  readily  brought  to  approve  and  confirm  his 
claim.  A  frivolous  charge,  of  thirty-three  articles,  was 
drawn  up,  and  found  valid  against  the  king  ;  upon  which 
he  was  solemnly  deposed,  and  the  earl  of  Hereford  elected 
in  his  stead,  by  the  title  of  Henry  the  Fourth.  12.  Thus 
began  the  contest  between  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancas- 

k2     ^ 


114  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Richard  II.  surrendering  his  crown. 

ter ;  which,  for  several  years  after,  deluged  the  kingdom 
with  blocd ;  and  yet,  in  the  end,  contributed  to  settle  and 
confirm  the  constitution. 

13.  When  Richard  was  deposed,  the  earl  of  Northum- 
berland made  a  motion  in  the  house  of  peers,  demanding 
the  advice  of  parliament  with  regard  to  the  future  treatment 
of  the  deposed  king.  To  this  they  replied,  that  he  should 
be  imprisoned  in  some  secure  place,  where  his  friends  and 
partizans  should  not  be  able  to  find  him.  This  was  accord- 
ingly put  in  practice  ;  but  while  he  still  continued  alive,  the 
usurper  could  not  remain  in  safety.  Indeed,  some  conspi- 
racies and  commotions  which  followed  soon  after,  induced 
Henry  to  wish  for  Richard's  death  ;  in  consequence  of 
Which,  one  of  those  assassins  that  are  found  in  every  court, 
ready  to  commit  the  most  horrid  crimes  for  reward,  went 
down  to  the  place  of  this  unfortunate  monarch's  confinement 
in  the  castle  of  Pomfret,  and  with  eight  of  his  followers, 
rushed  into  his  apartments.  14.  The  king,  concluding  their 
design  was  to  take  away  his  life,  resolved  not  to  fall  un- 
revenged,  but  to  sell  it  as  dearly  as  he  could ;  wherefore, 
wresting  a  pole-axe  from  one  of  the  murderers,  he  soon 
laid  four  of  their  number  dead  at  his  feet.  But  he  was  at 
length  overpowered,  and  struck  dead  by  the  blow  of  a  pole- 
axe  ;  although  some  assert  that  he  was  starved  in  prison. 
15.  Thus  died  the  unfortunate  Richard,  in  the  thirty-fourth 


RICHARD  II. 


15 


year  of  his  age,  and  the  twenty-third  of  his  reign.  Though 
his  conduct  was  blameable,  yet  the  punishment  he  suffeied 
was  greater  than  his  offences  ;  and  in  the  end  his  sufferings 
made  more  converts  to  his  family  and  cause  than  ever  his 
most  meritorious  actions  could  have  procured  them.  He 
left  no  posterity,  either  legitimate  or  otherwise. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  whom  was  the  king  opposed  ? 

3.  By  whom  was  Hereford  joined  on  his  arrival  in  England  ? 

4.  In  what  maimer  did  the  king  conduct  himself? 

6.  Can  you  mention  the  indignities  the  king  afterwards  suffered  ? 

7.  How  did  Richard  receive  the  earl  of  Hereford  ?  and  what  passed  at  the 

interview  between  them  ? 

8.  9.  To  what  other  mortifications  was  the  king  obliged  to  submit  ? 

10.  What  circumstances  preceded  his  resignation  of  the  crown? 

11.  By  whom  was  he  succeeded  ? 

12.  What  dreadful  contest  now  commenced  ? 

13.  After  Richard  was  deposed,  in  what  manner  was  he  treated  ? 

14.  Relate  the  circumstances  which  attended  the  murder  of  Richard. 

15.  Describe  his  character. 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

Gregory  XI 1370 

Urban  VI 1378 

Boniface  IX 1389 

Emperors  of  the  East. 

John  VI 1355 

Emanuel  II 1391 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Charles  IV 1347 

Winceslaus 1378 


Kings  of  France. 

A.D. 

Charles  V 1364 

Charles  VI 1380 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Ferdinand. 1367 

John  1 1385 

King  and  Queen  of 

Denmark. 

OlausIII 1375 


A.D. 

Margaret 1385 

Queen  of  Sweden. 
Margaret        held 
Sweden      with 
Denmark 1397 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

Robert  II 1370 

Robert  III 1390 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

William  Courtney,  Thomas  Arundel,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.  William 
Walworth,  lord  mayor  of  London.  Roger  Mortimer ;  earl  of  March,  grand- 
son to  Clarence,  heir  apparent.  Henry  of  Bolingbroke.  Vere,  duke  of 
Ireland.  William  of  Wykeham,  bishop  of  Winchester,  founder  of  Winches 
ter  College,  and  of  Merlon  College,  Oxford. 


1  l  G  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
HENRY  IV. 

Born  1307.    Died  March  20, 1413.    Began  to  reign  October  1, 1399.    Reigned 
13  years. 

Heaven  knows  by  what  bye-paths  and  crooked  ways 

J  met  this  crown  ;  and  I  myself  know  well 

How  troublesome  it  sat  upon  my  brow.—  Shakspeare. 

1.  (A.D.  1399.)  Henry  soon  found  that  the  throne  of  an 
usurper  is  but  a  bed  of  thorns.  Such  violent  animosities 
broke  out  among  the  barons  in  the  first  session  of  this  par- 
liament, that  forty  challenges  were  given  and  received,  and 
forty  gauntlets  were  thrown  down  as  pledges  of  the  sincerity 
of  their  resentment.  But  though  these  commotions  were 
seemingly  suppressed  by  his  moderation  for  that  time,  yet 
one  conspiracy  broke  out  after  another,  and  were  detected 
in  the  formation,  or  actually  punished  in  the  field. 

2.  That  formed  against  him  by  the  earl  of  Northumber- 
land was  the  most  formidable.  It  was  in  a  skirmish  between 
the  Scots  and  English  that  Archibald,  earl  of  Douglas,  with 
many  of  the  Scots  nobility,  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  earl 
of  Northumberland,  and  carried  to  Alnwick  castle.  When 
Henry  received  intelligence  of  this  victory,  he  sent  the  earl 
orders  not  to  ransom  his  prisoners,  as  he  intended  to  detain 
them,  in  order  to  increase  his  demands  in  making  peace  with 
Scotland.  3.  This  message  was  highly  resented  by  the 
earl  of  Northumberland,  who,  by  the  laws  of  war  that  pre- 
vailed in  that  age,  had  a  right  to  the  ransom  of  all  such  as 
he  had  taken  in  battle.  The  command  was  still  more  irk- 
some, as  he  considered  the  king  his  debtor,  both  for  his  se- 
curity and  his  crown.  Accordingly,  stung  with  this  supposed 
injury,  he  resolved  to  overturn  a  throne  which  he  had  the 
chief  hand  in  establishing.    - 

4.  A  scheme  was  laid,  in  which  the  Scots  and  Welsh 
were  to  unite  their  forces,  and  to  assist  Northumberland  in 
elevating  Mortimer,  as  the  true  heir  to  the  crown  of  Eng- 
land. When  all  things  were  prepared  for  the  intended  in- 
surrection, the  earl  had  the  mortification  to  find  himself 
unable  to  lead  on  the  troops,  being  seized  with  a  sudden 
illness  at  Berwick.  But  the  want  of  his  presence  was  well 
supplied  by  his  son,  Henry  Percy,  surnamed  Hotspur,  who 
took  the  command  of  the  troops,  and  marched  them  towards 
Shrewsbury,  in  order  to  join  his  forces  with  those  of  Glen 


HENRY    IV.  117 

dower,  a  Welsh  chieftain,  who  some  time  before  had  been 
exchanged  from  prison,  and  had  now  advanced  with  his 
forces  as  far  as  Shropshire.  5.  Upon  the  junction  of  these 
two  armies,  they  published  a  manifesto,  which  aggravated 
their  real  grievances,  and  invented  more.  In  the  mean  time, 
Henry,  who  had  received  no  intelligence  of  their  designs, 
was  at  first  greatly  surprised  at  the  news  of  this  rebellion. 
But  fortune  seemed  to  befriend  him  on  this  occasion  :  he  had 
a  small  army  in  readiness,  which  he  had  levied  for  an  in- 
tended war  against  the  Scots,  and  knowing  the  importance 
of  despatch  against  such  active  enemies,  he  instantly  hurried 
down  to  Shrewsbury,  that  he  might  give  the  rebels  battle. 

6.  Upon  the  approach  of  the  two  armies,  both  sides  seem- 
ed willing  to  give  a  colour  to  their  cause  by  showing  a  de- 
sire of  reconciliation  ;  but,  when  they  came  to  open  their 
mutual  demands,  the  treaty  was  turned  into  abuse  and  re- 
crimination. On  one  side  was  objected  rebellion  and  ingra- 
titude ;  on  the  other,  tyranny  and  usurpation.  7.  The  two 
armies  were  pretty  nearly  equal,  each  consisting  of  about 
twelve  thousand  men  ;  the  animosity  on  both  sides  was  in- 
flamed to  the  highest  pitch  ;  and  no  prudence  nor  military 
skill  could  determine  on  which  side  the  victory  might  in- 
cline ;  accordingly,  a  very  bloody  engagement  ensued,  in 
which  the  generals  on  both  sides  exerted  themselves  with 
great  bravery.  Henry  was  seen  everywhere  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight ;  while  his  valiant  son,  who  was  afterwards  the 
renowned  conqueror  of  France,  fought  by  his  side  ;  and, 
though  wounded  in  the  face  by  an  arrow,  still  kept  the  field, 
and  performed  astonishing  acts  of  valour.  8.  On  the  other 
side,  the  daring  Hotspur  supported  that  renown  which  he 
had  acquired  in  so  many  bloody  engagements,  and  every- 
where sought  out  the  king  as  a  noble  object  of  indignation. 
At  last,  however,  his  death  from  an  unknown  hand  decided 
the  victory  ;  and  the  fortune  of  Henry  once  more  prevailed. 
On  that  bloody  day,  it  is  said,  that  no  less  than  two  thousand 
three  hundred  gentlemen  were  slain,  and  about  six  thousand 
private  men,  of  whom  two-thirds  were  of  Hotspur's  army. 

9.  While  this  furious  transaction  was  going  forward,  Nor- 
thumberland, who  was  lately  recovered  from  his  indisposi- 
tion, was  advancing  with  a  body  of  troops  to  reinforce  the 
army  of  malecontents,  and  take  upon  him  the  command: 
but  hearing  by  the  way  of  his  son's  and  brother's  misfortune, 
he  dismissed  his  troops,  not  daring  to  keep  the  field  with  sc 
small  a  force,  before  an  army  superior  in  number,  and  flush- 


118  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

ed  with  recent  victory.  10.  The  earl,  therefore,  for  a 
while,  attempted  to  find  safety  by  flight  \  but  at  last,  being 
pressed  by  his  pursuers,  and  finding  himself  totally  without 
resource,  he  chose  rather  to  throw  himself  upon  the  king's 
mercy  than  lead  a  precarious  and  indigent  life  in  exile. 
Upon  his  appearing  before  Henry  at  York,  he  pretended 
that  his  sole  intention  in  arming  was  to  mediate  between 
the  two  parties  ;  and  this,  though  but  a  very  weak  apology, 
seemed  to  satisfy  the  king.  Northumberland,  therefore,  re- 
ceived a  pardon  ;  Henry  probably  thinking  that  he  was  suf- 
ficiently punished  by  the  loss  of  his  army  and  the  death  of 
his  favourite  son. 

11.  By  these  means  Henry  seemed  to  surmount  all  his 
troubles  ;  and  the  calm  which  was  thus  produced  was  em- 
ployed by  him  in  endeavours  to  acquire  popularity,  which 
he  had  lost  by  the  severities  exercised  during  the  preceding 
part  of  his  reign.  For  that  reason,  he  often  permitted  the 
house  of  commons  to  assume  powers  which  had  not  be*en 
usually  exercised  by  their  predecessors.  A.D.  1407.  12. 
In  the  sixth  year  of  his  reign,  when  they  voted  him  the 
supplies,  they  appointed  treasurers  of  their  own,  to  see  the 
money  disbursed  for  the  purposes  intended  ;  and  required 
them  to  deliver  in  their  accounts  to  the  house.  They  pro- 
posed thirty  very  important  articles  for  the  government  of 
the  king's  household  ;  and,  on  the  whole,  preserved  their 
privileges  and  freedom  more  entire  during  his  reign  than 
in  that  of  any  of  his  predecessors.  13.  But  while  the  king 
thus  laboured,  not  without  success,  to  retrieve  the  reputation 
he  had  lost,  his  son  Henry,  the  prince  of  Wales,  seemed 
equally  bent  on  incurring  the  public  aversion.  He  became 
notorious  for  all  kinds  of  debauchery,  and  ever  chose  to  be 
surrounded  by  a- set  of  wretches,  who  took  pride  in  commit- 
ting the  most  illegal  acts,  with  the  prince  at  their  head. 
14.  The  king  was  not  a  little  mortified  at  this  degeneracy 
in  his  eldest  son,  who  seemed  entirely  forgetful  of  his  sta- 
tion, although  he  had  already  exhibited  repeated  proofs  of 
his  valorous  conduct  and  generosity.  Such  were  the  ex- 
cesses into  which  he  ran,  that  one  of  his  dissolute  compa- 
nions having  been  brought  to  trial  before  Sir  William  Gas- 
coigne,  chief  justice  of  the  king's  bench,  for  some  misde- 
meanour, the  prince  was  so  exasperated  at  the  issue  of  the 
trial,  that  he  struck  the  judge  in  open  court.  15.  The  ve- 
nerable magistrate,  who  knew  the  reverence  that  was  due 
to  his  station,  behaved  wiifr  i  dignitv  that  became  his  office 


HENRY    IV. 


ilO 


and  immediately  ordered  the  prince  to  be  committed  to  pri- 
son. When  this  transaction  was  reported  to  the  king,  who 
was  an  excellent  judge  of  mankind,  he  could  not  help  ex- 
claiming in  a  transport — "  Happy  is  the  king  that  has  a 
magistrate  endowed  with  courage  to  execute  the  laws  upon 
such  an  offender  :  still  more  happy  in  having  a  son  willing 
to  submit  to  such  a  chastisement !"  This,  in  fact,  is  one  of 
the  first  great  instances  we  read  in  the  English  history  of  a 
magistrate  doing  justice  in  opposition  to  power ;  since,  upon 
many  former  occasions,  we  find  the  judges  only  ministers  of 
royal  caprice. 

16.  Henry,  whose  health  had  for  some  time  been  declin- 
ing, did  not  long  outlive  this  transaction.  He  was  subject 
to  fits,  which  bereaved  him  for  the  time  of  his  senses  ;  and 
which  at  last  brought  on  his  death  at  Westminster,  in  the 
forty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  fourteenth  of  his  reign 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  In  what  situation  did  Henry  find  himself  on  ascending  the  throne  ? 

2.  Who  was  the  most  formidable  opponent  of  Henry  ? 

4.  For  what  purpose  were  the  Scots  and  Welsh  to  unite  their  forces  ? 

7.  Relate  the  valorous  conduct  of  the  king  and  prince. 

8.  What  was  the  fate  of  Hotspur  ? 

10.  What  became  of  the  earl  of  Northumberland  ? 

12.  What  at  this  time  were  the  powers  assumed  by  the  house  of  commons  < 

13.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  prince  of  Wales  ? 

15.  For  what  offence  did  the  chief  justice  imprison  him  ? 

What  did  the  prince  exclaim  when  he  heard  the  of  prince's  committal  ? 

16.  What  caused  the  death  of  the  king  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Boniface  IX 1389 

Innocent  VII ..  1404 

Gregory  XII 1406 

Alexander  V 1409 

John  XXIII.......  1410 

Emperor  of  the  East. 
Emanuel  II 1391 


Emperors  of  the  West. 

A.D. 

Winceslaus 1378 

Robert  Le  Pet 1400 

Sigismund 1410 

King  of  France. 

rles    VI... 


Charles 


1380 


King  of  Portugal. 
John  1 1385 


King  and  Queen  of 
Denmark  and  Sweden. 

A.D 

Margaret 1385 

Eric  XIII 1411 

King  of  Scotland. 
Robert  III 1390 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Thomas  Arundel,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Edward  Mortimer  Henry 
Percy,  surnamed  Hotspur.  Chief  Justice  Gascoigne.  Sir  Robert  Knowles. 
Sir  Richard  Whittington,  lord  mayor  of  London.  John  Gower,  and  Geoffrey 
Chaucer. 


HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
HENRY  V. 


Born  1388.    Died  Aug.  31, 1422.    Began  to  reign  March  20, 1413. 
Reigned  9£  years. 

Now  terror  seemed  to  make  the  field  its  own.  —  Egerton. 

1.  (A.  D.  1413.)  The  first  steps  taken  by  the  young  king 
confirmed  all  those  prepossessions  entertained  in  his  favour. 
He  called  together  his  former  abandoned  companions  :  ac- 
quainted them  with  his  intended  reformation ;  exhorted 
them  to  follow  his  example  ;  and  thus  dismissed  them 
from  his  presence,  allowing  them  a  competency  to  subsist 
upon  till  he  saw  them  worthy  of  further  promotion.  2. 
The  faithful  ministers  of  his  father  at  first  began  to  tremble 
for  their  former  justice  in  the  administration  of  their  duty ; 
but  he  soon  eased  them  of  their  fears  by  taking  them  into 
his  friendship  and  confidence.  Sir  William  Gascoigne,  who 
thought  himself  the  most  obnoxious,  met  with  praise  instead 
of  reproaches,  and  was  exhorted  to  persevere  in  the  same 
rigorous  and  impartial  execution  of  justice. 

3.  About  this  time  the  heresy  of  WicklifTe,*  or  Lol- 
lardism,  as  it  was  called,  began  to  spread  every  day  more 
and  more,  while  it  received  a  new  lustre  from  the  protec- 
tion and  preaching  of  sir  John  Oldcastle,  baron  of  Cobham, 
who  had  been  one  of  the  king's  domestics,  and  stood  high 
in  his  favour.  The  primate,  however,  indicted  this  noble- 
man, and,  with  the  assistance  of  his  suffragans,  condemned 
him  as  a  heretic  to  be  burnt  alive.  4.  Cobham,  however, 
escaping  from  the  Tower,  in  which  he  was  confined,  the  day 
before  his  execution,  privately  went  up  to  London  to  take  a 
signal  revenge  on  his  enemies.  But  the  king,  apprized  of 
his  intentions,  ordered  that  the  city  gates  should  be  shut ; 
and  coming  by  night  with  his  guards  into  St.  Giles's-fields, 
seized  such  of  the  conspirators  as  appeared,  and  afterwards 
laid  hold  of  several  parties  that  were  hastening  to  the  ap- 


*  John  WicklifTe,  a  celebrated  English  divine,  was  the  father  of  the  re- 
formation of  the  English  church  from  popery.  He  first  opposed  the  authority 
of  the  pope,  and  being  cited  to  appear  before  the  bishop  of  London,  it  caused 
great  tumult.  His  tenets  were  solemnly  condemned  in  an  assembly  held  at 
Oxford  ;  he,  however,  escaped  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  and  died  peaceably 
at  Lutterworth,  in  1384. 


HF.NRY  V.  121 

pointed  place.  5.  Some  of  these  were  executed,  but  the 
greater  number  pardoned.  Cobham  himself  found  means  of 
escaping  for  that  time,  but  he  was  taken  about  four  years 
after ;  and  never  did  the  cruelty  of  man  invent,  or  crimes 
draw  down,  such  torment  as  he  was  made  to  endure.  He 
was  hung  up  with  a  chain  by  the  middle,  and  thus,  at  a  slow 
fire,  burned,  or  rather  roasted,  alive. 

6.  Henry,  to  turn  the  minds  of  the  people  from  such 
hideous  scenes,  resolved  to  take  advantage  of  the  troubles 
in  which  France  was  at  that  time  engaged  ;  and  assembling 
a  great  fleet  and  army  at  Southampton,  landed  at  Harfleur, 
at  the  head  of  an  army  of  six  thousand  men-at-arms,  and 
twenty-four  thousand  foot,  mostly  archers.  But  although 
the  enemy  made  but  a  feeble  resistance,  yet  the  climate 
seemed  to  fight  against  the  English,  a  contagious  dysentery 
carrying  off  three  parts  of  Henry's  army.  7.  The  English 
monarch,  when  it  was  too  late,  began  to  repent  of  his  rash 
inroad  into  a  country  where  disease  and  a  powerful  army 
everywhere  threatened  destruction  ;  he,  therefore,  began  to 
think  of  retiring  into  Calais. 

The  enemy,  however,  resolved  to  intercept  his  retreat; 
and  after  he  had  passed  the  small  river  of  Tertois,  at 
Blangi,  he  was  surprised  to  observe,  from  the  heights,  the 
whole  French  army  drawn  up  in  the  plains  of  Agincourt,* 
and  so  posted,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  proceed 
on  his  march  without  coming  to  an  engagement.  8.  No 
situation  could  be  more  unfavourable  than  that  in  which  he 
found  himself.  His  army  was  wasted  with  disease  :  the 
soldiers'  spirits  worn  down  with  fatigue,  destitute  of  pro- 
visions, and  discouraged  by  their  retreat.  Their  whole 
body  amounted  to  but  nine  thousand  men,  and  these  were 
to  sustain  the  shock  of  an  enemy  nearly  ten  times  their 
number,  headed  by  expert  generals,  and  plentifully  sup- 
plied with  provisions.  9.  As  the  enemy  were  so  much 
superior,  he  drew,  up  his  army  on  a  narrow  ground  between 
two  woods,  which  guarded  each  flank  ;  and  he  patiently 
expected,  in  that  position,  the  attack  of  the  enemy.  The 
constable  of  France  was  at  the  head  of  one  army,  and 
Henry  himself,  with  Edward,  duke  of  York,  commanded 
the  other.  10.  For  a  time  both  armies,  as  if  afraid  to 
begin,  kept  silently  gazing  at  each  other,  neither  willing  to 

*  Agincourt  is  a  village  m  the  province  of  Artois.  formerly  part  of  th* 
French  Netherlands. 


-22  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

break  their  ranks  by  making  the  onset ;  which  Henry  per- 
ceiving, with  a  cheerful  countenance  cried  out,  "  My 
friends,  since  they  will  not  begin,  it  is  ours  to  set  the 
example ;  come  on,  and  the  blessed  Trinity  be  our  pro- 
tection !"  Upon  this  the  whole  army  set  forward  with  a 
shout,  while  the  French  still  waited  their  approach  with 
intrepidity.  11.  The  English  archers,  who  had  long  been 
famous  for  their  great  skill,  first  let  fly  a  shower  of  arrows 
three  feet  long,  which  did  great  execution.  The  French 
cavalry  advancing  to  repel  these,  two  hundred  bowmen, 
who  lay  till  then  concealed,  rising  on  a  sudden,  let  fly  among 
them,  and  produced  such  a  confusion,  that  the  archers  threw 
by  their  arrows,  and  rushing  in,  fell  upon  them  sword  in 
hand.  The  French  at  first  repulsed  the  assailants,  who  were 
enfeebled  by  disease  ;  but  they  soon  made  up  the  defect  by 
their  valour;  and,  resolving  to  conquer  or  die,  burst  in  upon 
the  enemy  with  such  impetuosity,  that  the  French  were 
soon  obliged  to  give  way. 

12.  They  were  overthrown  in  every  part  of  the  field ; 
their  numbers,  being  crowded  into  a  very  narrow  space, 
were  incapable  of  either  flying  or  making  any  resistance, 
so  that  they  covered  the  ground  with  heaps  of  slain.  After 
all  appearance  of  opposition  was  over,  there  was  heard  an 
alarm  from  behind,  which  proceeded  from  a  number  of 
peasants  who  had  fallen  on  the  English  baggage,  and  were 
putting  those  who  guarded  it  to  the  sword.  13.  Henry, 
now  seeing  the  enemy  on  all  sides  of  him,  began  to  enter- 
tain apprehensions  from  his  prisoners,  the  number  of  whom 
exceeded  even  that  of  his  army.  He  thought  it  necessary, 
therefore,  to  issue  general  orders  for  putting  them  to  death ; 
6ut  on  a  discovery  of  a  certainty  of  his  victory,  he  stopped 
the  slaughter,  and  was  still  able  to  save  a  great  number. 
14.  This  severity  tarnished  the  glory  which  his  victory 
would  otherwise  have  acquired,  but  all  the  heroism  of  that 
age  is  tinctured  with  barbarity.  In  this  battle  the  French 
lost  ten  thousand  men  and  fourteen  thousand  prisoners  :  the 
English  only  forty  men  in  all.* 

15.  France  was  at  that  time  (A.  D.  1417)  in  a  wretched 
situation ;  the  whole  kingdom  appeared  as  one  vast  theatre 

The  duke  of  York  and  earl  of  Suffolk  were  among  the  few  who  fell  in 
this  battle  on  the  side  of  the  English.  Also  three  valiant  Welshmen 
named  Davy  Gam,  Roger  Vaughan,  and  Walker  Lloyd,  who  had  rescued 
the  king,  ana  were  afterwards  knighted  by  him  as  they  lay  bleeding  to  death 
—Monslrekt 


HENRY    V.  123 

of  crimes,  murders,  injustice,  and  devastation.  The  duke 
of  Orleans  was  assassinated  by  the  duke  of  Burgundy  ;  and 
the  duke  of  Burgundy,  in  his  turn,  fell  by  the  treachery  of 
the  dauphin. 

16.  A  state  of  imbecility,  into  which  Charles  had  fallen, 
made  him  passive  in  every  transaction  ;  and  Henry,  at  last, 
by  conquests  and  negotiation,  caused  himself  to  be  elected 
heir  to  the  crown.  The  principal  articles  of  this  treaty 
were,  that  Henry  should  espouse  the  princess  Catharine, 
daughter  of  the  king  of  France  ;  that  king  Charles  should 
enjoy  the  title  and  dignity  for  life,  but  that  Henry  should 
be  declared  heir  to  the  crown,  and  should  be  intrusted 
with  the  present  administration  of  the  government;  that 
France  and  England  should  for  ever  be  united  under  one 
king,  but  should  still  retain  their  respective  laws  and 
privileges. 

17.  In  consequence  of  this,  while  Henry  was  everywhere 
victorious,  he  fixed  his  residence  at  Paris ;  and  while  Charles 
had  but  a  small  court,  he  was  attended  with  a  very  magnifi- 
cent one.  (A.  D.  1421.)  On  Whit-Sunday,  the  two  kings 
and  their  two  queens,  with  crowns  on  their  heads,  dined  to- 
gether in  public  ;  Charles  receiving  apparent  hoaiage,  but 
Henry  commanding  with  absolute  authority.* 

18.  Henry,  at  that  time,  when  his  glory  had  nearly 
reached  its  summit,  and  both  crowns  were  just  devolved  upon 
him,  was  seized  with  a  fistula,  a  disorder  which,  from  the 
unskilfulness  of  the  physicians  of  the  times,  soon  became 
mortal.  He  expired  with  the  same  intrepidity  with  which 
he  had  lived,  in  the  thirty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
tenth  of  his  reign. 


Questions  for  Examination, 
I.  What  were  the  first  steps  taken  by  the  young  king? 
3.  What  remarkable  circumstance  did  the  heresy  of  Wickliffe  produce  ? 
5.  What  was  the  melancholy  fate  of  sir  John  Old  castle,  baron  of  Cobham  ? 

*  The  revenues  of  the  government,  and  the  grants  of  parliament,  were  so 
inadequate  to  Henry's  expensive  armies  and  expeditions,  that  he  was  forced 
to  pawn  his  crown  to  his  uncle,  Cardinal  Beaufort,  for  a  large  sum ;  and  cer- 
tain jewels  to  the  lord  mayor  of  London,  for  ten  thousand  marks ;  he  was 
also  obliged  to  pledge  two  gold  chased  basons,  weighing  together  281b.  8oz. 
to  two  canons  of  St.  Paul's,  for  six  hundred  marks  ;  and  two  golden  shells  to 
the  dean  of  Lincoln,  for  one  hundred  more.  The  cost  of  his  army  was  great , 
each  knight  received  20s.  per  diem  ;  a  squire  10s.  and  each  archer  5s.  Be- 
sides which,  he  had  a  costly  band  of  music,  among  which  were  ten  clarions, 
which  played  an  hour,  night  and  morning,  before  his  tent— Berirand  <U 
Mdcvtile,  fa 


124  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

6.  What  caused  Henry  to  assemble  an  army  in  France  ? 
What  was  the  amount  of  his  army  ? 

7.  Where  did  the  enemy  attempt  to  intercept  his  retreat  ? 

8.  In  what  condition  was  the  English  army? 

9.  Who  commanded  the  respective  armies  ?  » 
10.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  battle  of  Agincourt. 

J4.  What  tarnished  the  glory  of  this  victory  ? 

What  was  the  situation  of  France  ? 
15.  What  were    the    principal  articles  of  treaty  between  England  and 

France  ? 
18.  What  was  the  age  of  Henry  at  his  death?  and  how  long  did  he  reign? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.  D. 

JohnXXIIl 1410 

Martin  V 1417 

Emperor  of  the  East. 
Emanuel  II. 1394 


Emperor  of  the  West.    [   King  of  Denmark  and 
A.  D. !  Sweden. 

Sigismund 1410  a.  d. 

jEricXm 1411 

King  of  France. 

Charles  VI 1380 1       King  of  Scotland. 

III. 


King  of  Portugal. 
Johnl 13851 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Robert  III 1390 


Henry  Chicheley,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Cardinal  Beaufort,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  younger  son  of  John  of  Gaunt,  and  preceptor  to  Henry  the  Fifth 
and  Sixth.  « Talbot,  eail  of  Shrewsbury. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
HENRY  VI. 


Born  1421.   Deposed  March  5,  1461.    Died  April  21,  1471.    Began  to  reign  Augdit 
31,  1422.    Reigned  38*  years. 

SECTION    I. 

From  fields  obscure  darts  forth  a  village  maid.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1422.)  The  duke  of  Bedford,  one  of  the  most 
accomplished  princes  of  the  age,  and  equally  experienced 
both  in  the  cabinet  and  the  field,  was  appointed  by  parlia- 
ment protector  of  England,  defender  of  the  church,  and 
first  counsellor  to  the  king  during  his  minority,  as  he  was 
not  yet  a  year  old  ;  and  as  France  was  the  great  object 
that  engrossed  all  consideration,  he  attempted  to  exert  the 
efforts  of  the  nation  upon  the  continent  with  all  his  vigour. 

2.  A  new  revolution  was  produced  in  that  kingdom,  by 


HENRY    VI.  125 

means  apparency  the  most  unlikely  to  be  attended  with 
success.  In  the  village  of  Domreni,  near  Vaucoleurs,  on 
the  borders  of  Lorrain,  there  lived  a  country  girl,  about 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  called  Joan  of  Arc.  This  girl 
had  been  a  servant  at  a  small  inn,  and  in  that  humble  sta- 
tion had  submitted  to  those  hardy  employments  which  fit  the 
body  for  the  fatigues  of  war.  She  was  of  an  irreproachable 
life,  and  had  hitherto  testified  none  of  those  enterprising 
qualities  which  displayed  themselves  soon  after.  3.  Her 
mind,  however,  brooding  with  melancholy  steadfastness  upon 
the  miserable  situation  of  her  country,  began  to  feel  several 
impulses,  which  she  was  willing  to  mistake  for  tho  inspira- 
tions of  Heaven.  Convinced  of  the  reality  of  her  own  ad- 
monitions, she  had  recourse  to  one  Baudricourt,  governor 
of  Vaucoleurs,  and  informed  him  of  her  destination  by  Hea- 
ven to  free  her  native  country  from  its  fierce  invaders. 
Baudricourt  treated  her  at  first  with  some  neglect :  but  her 
importunities  at  length  prevailed ;  and  willing  to  make  trial 
of  her  pretensions,  he  gave  her  some  attendants,  who  con- 
ducted her  to  the  French  court,  which  at  that  time  resided  at 
Chinon. 

4.  The  French  court  were  probably  sensible  of  the  weak- 
ness of  her  pretensions  ;  but  they  were  willing  to  make  use 
of  every  artifice  to  support  their  declining  fortunes.  It  was, 
therefore,  given  out  that  Joan  was  actually  inspired  ;  that 
she  was  able  to  discover  the  king  among  the  number  of  his 
courtiers,  although  he  had  laid  aside  all  the  distinctions  of 
his  authority ;  that  she  had  told  him  some  secrets  which 
were  only  known  to  himself ;  and  that  she  had  demanded 
and  minutely  described  a  sword  in  the  church  of  St.  Cathe- 
rine de  Firebois,  which  she  had  never  seen.  5.  In  this  manner 
the  minds  of  the  vulgar  being  prepared  for  her  appearance, 
she  was  armed  cap-a-pie,  and  shown  in  that  martial  dress  to 
the  people.  She  was  then  brought  before  the  doctors  of  the 
university,  and  they,  tinctured  with  the  credulity  of  the  times, 
or  willing  to  second  the  imposture,  declared  that  she  had 
actually  received  her  commission  from  above. 

5.  When  the  preparations  for  her  mission  were  completely 
blazoned,  their  next  aim  was  to  send  her  against  the  enemy. 
The  English  were  at  that  time  besieging  the  city  of  Orleans, 
the  last  resource  of  Charles,  and  every  thing  promised  them 
a  speedy  surrender.  Joan  undertook  to  raise  the  siege  ;  and 
to  render  herself  still  more  remarkable,  girded  herself  with 
the  miraculous  sword,  of  which  she  had  before  such  extra 

l2 


120  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

ordinary  notices.  Thus  equipped,  she  ordered  all  the  so* 
diers  to  confess  themselves  before  they  set  out;  she  dis- 
played in  her  hand  a  consecrated  banner,  and  assured  the 
troops  of  certain  success.  7.  Such  confidence  on  her  side 
soon  raised  the  spirits  of  the  French  army ;  and  even  the 
English,  who  pretended  to  despise  her  efforts,  felt  them- 
selves secretly  influenced  with  the  terrors  of  her  mission ; 
and  relaxing  in  their  endeavours,  the  siege  was  raised  with 
great  precipitation.  From  being  attacked,  the  French  now 
in  turn  became  the  aggressors.  One  victory  followed  an- 
other, and  at  length  the  French  king  was  solemnly  crowned 
at  Rheims,  which  Joan  had  promised  should  come  to  pass. 

8.  A  tide  of  success  followed  the  performance  of  this,  so- 
lemnity ;  but  Joan  having  thrown  herself  into  the  city  of 
Compeign,  with  a  body  of  troops,  that  was  then  besieged 
by  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  she  was  taken  prisoner  in  a  sally 
which  she  headed  against  the  enemy,  the  governor  shutting 
the  gates  behind.  The  duke  of  Bedford  was  no  sooner 
informed  of  her  being  taken,  than  he  purchased  her  of  the 
count  Vendome,  who  had  made  her  prisoner,  and  ordered 
her  to  be  committed  to  close  confinement.  9.  The  credulity 
of  both  nations  was  at  that  time  so  great,  that  nothing  was 
too  absurd  to  gain  belief  that  coincided  with  their  passions. 
As  Joan,  but  a  little  before,  from  her  successes,  was  re- 
garded as  a  saint,  she  was  now,  upon  her  captivity,  consi- 
dered as  a  sorceress,  forsaken  by  the  demon  who  had  granted 
her  a  fallacious  and  temporary  assistance  ;  and  accordingly, 
being  tried  at  Rouen,  she  was  found  guilty  of  heresy  and 
witchcraft,  and  sentenced  to  be  burnt  alive,  which  was  exe- 
cuted with  the  most  ignorant  malignity. 

10.  From  this  period  the  English  affairs  became  totally 
irretrievable.  The  city  of  Paris  returned  once  more  to  a 
sense  of  its  duty.  Thus  ground  was  continually,  though 
slowly,  gained  by  the  French ;  and  in  the  lapse  of  a  few 
years,  Calais  alone  remained  of  all  the  conquests  that  had 
been  made  in  France  ;  and  this  was  but  a  small  compensa- 
tion for  the  blood  and  treasure  which  had  been  lavished  in 
that  country,  and  which  only  served  to  gratify  ambition  with 
transient  applause.*     A.D.  1443. 

*  The  duke  of  Bedford  died  about  this  time ;  and  when  the  dauphin  of 

r' ranee  was  advised  to  demolish  the  monument  of  black  marble  which  had 

*><;en  erected  to  his  memory,  he  generously  replied,  "Let  him  repose  in 

peace,  and  be  thankful  that  he  does  repose  ;  were  he  to  awake,  he  would 

the  stoutest  of  us  tremble." 


HENRY  VI.  ]27 

11.  But  the  incapacity  of  Henry  began  to  appear  in  a 
fuller  light ;  and  a  foreign  war  being  now  extinguished,  the 
people  began  to  prepare  for  the  horrors  of  intestine  strife. 
In  this  period  of  calamity  a  new  interest  was  revived,  which 
had  lain  dormant  in  the  times  of  prosperity  and  triumph. 
Richard,  duke  of  York,  was  descended,  by  the  mother's 
side,  from  Lionel,  one  of  the  sons  of  Edward  the  Third ; 
whereas  the  reigning  king  was  descended  from  John  of 
Gaunt,  a  younger  son  of  the  same  monarch  :  Richard,  there- 
fore, stood  plainly  in  succession  before  Henry  ;  and  he  began 
to  think  the  weakness  and  unpopularity  of  the  present  reign 
a  favourable  moment  for  ambition.  The  ensign  of  Richard 
was  a  white  rose,  that  of  Henry  a  red  :  and  this  gave  name 
to  the  two  factions,  whose  animosity  was  now  about  to 
drench  the  kingdom  with  slaughter. 

12.  Among  the  number  of  complaints  which  the  unpopu- 
larity of  the  government  gave  rise  to,  there  were  some  which 
even  excited  insurrection  ;  particularly  that  headed  by  John 
Cade,  which  was  of  the  most  dangerous  nature.  This  man 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  had  been  obliged  to  fly  over  to 
France  for  his  crimes  ;  but  seeing  the  people,  upon  his  re- 
turn, prepared  for  violent  measures,  he  assumed  the  name 
of  Mortimer ;  and  at  the  head  of  twenty  thousand  Kentish 
men,  advanced  towards  the  capital,  and  encamped  at  Black- 
heath.  The  king,  being  informed  of  this  commotion,  sent 
a  message  to  demand  the  cause  of  their  assembling  in  arms  ; 
and  Cade,  in  the  name  of  the  community,  answered  that 
their  only  aim  was  to  punish  evil  ministers,  and  to  procure 
a  redress  of  grievances  for  the  people.  13.  But  committing 
some  abuses,  and  engaging  with  the  citizens,  he  was  aban- 
doned by  most  of  his  followers  ;  and  retreating  to  Rochester, 
was  obliged  to  fly  alone  into  the  woods  of  Kent,  where,  a 
price  being  set  upon  his  head  by  proclamation,  he  was  dis- 
covered and  slain.* 

14.  In  the  mean  time  the  duke  of  York  secretly  fomented 
these  disturbances,  and  pretending  to  espouse  the  cause  of 
the  people,  still  secretly  aspired  to  the  crown  ;  and,  though 
he  wished  nothing  so  ardently,  yet  he  was  for  some  time 
prevented  by  his  own  scruples  from  seizing  it.  What  his  in- 

*  The  inscription  on  Cade's  standard  consisted  of  the  following  doggerel 
sufficiently  indicative  of  the  levelling  doctrines  of  him  and  his  rebel  compa 
rtious : 

"  When  Adam  delv'd  and  Eve  span, 
Who  was  then  a  gentleman?" 


128  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

trigues  failed  to  bring  about,  accident  produced  according  to 
his  desires.  15.  The  king  falling  into  a  distemper,  which 
so  far  increased  his  natural  imbecility  that  it  even  rendered 
him  incapable  of  maintaining  the  appearance  of  royalty 
York  was  appointed  lieutenant  and  protector  of  the  king- 
dom, with  powers  to  hold  and  open  parliaments  at  pleasure. 


Questions  for  Examination* 

1.  What  happened  on  the  death  of  the  king? 

2,  3.  Relate  the  history  of  Joan  of  Arc. 

4.  By  what  artifices  did  the  French  court  support  their  declining  fortunes  ? 

6.  What  enterprise  did  Joan  undertake  ? 

7.  Were  the  French  successful  ? 

8.  In  what  manner  was  Joan  of  Arc  made  prisoner  ? 

9.  What  was  the  fate  of  this  extraordinary  woman  ? 

10.  In  what  state  were  the  English  affairs  at  this  time  ? 

11.  What  new  interest  was  now  revived  against  Henry  ?  and  to  whatconse* 

quences  did  it  lead  ? 

12.  Mention  the  particulars  of  an  insurrection  which  took  place,  and  the 

cause  which  occasioned  it. 

13.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  principal  conspirators  ? 

14.  Who  secretly  fomented  these  disturbances  ? 

15.  Who  was  appointed  protector  of  the  kingdom  ?  and  on  what  occasion  ? 


SECTION  II. 

While  second  Richard's  blood  for  vengeance  calls, 

Doom  d  for  his  grandsire's  guilt,  poor  Henry  falls.  —  Savage. 

1.  (A.D.  1452.)  Being  thus  invested  with  a  plenitude  of 
power,  he  continued  in  the  enjoyment  of  it  for  some  time  ; 
but  at  length  the  unhappy  king  recovered  from  his  lethargic 
complaint ;  and,  as  if  waking  from  a  dream,  perceived  with 
surprise  that  he  was  stripped  of  all  his  authority.  Henry  was 
married  to  Margaret  of  Anjou,*  a  woman  of  a  masculine* 
understanding,  who  obliged  him  to  take  the  field,  and  in  a 
manner  dragged  him  to  it,  where  both  sides  came  to  an  en- 
gagement, in  which  the  Yorkists  gained  a  complete  victory. f 
2.  The  king  himself  being  wounded,  and  taking  shelter  in 
a  cottage  near  the  field  of  battle,  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
treated  by  the  victor  with  great  respect  and  tenderness. 

Henry  was  now  merely  a  prisoner,  treated  with  the  splen- 
did forms  of  royalty ;  yet,  indolent  and  sickly,  he  seemed 

*  Daughter  of  Ren6,  titular  king  of  Sicily  ;  an  ambitious,  enterprising,  and 
courageous  woman.  She  supported  the  rights  of  her  husband  with  great 
fortitude  and  activity,  till  the  fatal  defeat  at  Tewkesbury,  which  put  an  end 
to  all  her  enterprises. 

t  This  battle  was  the  first  of  St.  Alban's. 


HENRY  VI.  129 

pleased  with  his  situation,  and  did  not  regret  that  power 
which  was  not  to  be  exercised  without  fatigue.  But  Mar- 
garet once  more  induced  him  to  assert  his  prerogative.  3. 
The  contending  parties  met  at  Bloreheath,  on  the  borders  of 
Staffordshire,  Sept.  23,  1459,  and  the  Yorkists  gained  some 
advantages  ;  but  Sir  Andrew  Trollop  deserted  with  all  his 
men  to  the  king ;  and  this  so  intimidated  the  whole  army  of 
the  Yorkists,  that  they  separated  the  next  day,  without  strik- 
ing a  single  blow.  Several  other  engagements  followed, 
with  various  success ;  Margaret  being  at  one  time  victorious, 
at  another  in  exile  ;  the  victory  upon  Wakefield-green,*  in 
which  the  duke  of  York  was  slain,  seemed  to  fix  her  good 
fortune.  ^ 

4.  But  the  earl  of  Warwick,  who  now  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  Yorkists,  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  gene- 
rals of  the  age,  formed  for  times  of  trouble,  extremely  artful, 
and  incontestably  brave,  equally  skilful  in  council  and  the 
field  ;  and  inspired  with  a  degree  of  hatred  against  the  queen 
that  nothing  could  suppress.  He  commanded  an  army,  in 
which  he  led  about  the  captive  king,  to  give  a  sanction  to 
his  attempts.  5.  Upon  the  approach  of  the  Lancastrians, 
he  conducted  his  forces,  strengthened  by  a  body  of  London- 
ers, who  were  very  affectionate  to  his  cause,  and  gave  battle 
to  the  queen  at  St.  Alban's.  In  this,  however,  he  was  de- 
feated. About  two  thousand  of  the  Yorkists  perished  in 
the  battle,  and  the  person  of  the  king  again  fell  into  the 
hands  of  his  own  party,  to  be  treated  with  apparent  respect, 
but  real  contempt. 

6.  In  the  mean  time  young  Edward,  the  eldest  son  of  the 
late  duke  of  York,  began  to  repair  the  losses  his  party  had 
lately  sustained,  and  to  give  spirit  to  the  Yorkists.  This 
prince,  in  the  bloom  of  youth,  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of 
his  person,  his  bravery,  and  popular  deportment,  advanced 
towards  London  with  the  remainder  of  Warwick's  army ; 
and,  obliging  Margaret  to  retire,  entered  the  city  amidst  the 
acclamations  of  the  people.  Perceiving  his  own  popularity, 
he  supposed  that  now  was  the  time  to  lay  his  claim  to  the 
crown ;  and  his  friend  Warwick,  assembling  the  citizens  in 
St.  John's  Fields,  pronounced  an  harangue,  setting  forth  the 
title  of  Edward,  and  inveighing  against  the  tyranny  and 
usurpation  of  the  house  of  Lancaster.  A.D.  1461.  7.  Botli 
sides  at  length  met  near  Towton,  in  the  county  of  York,  to 

•  In  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 


130  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

decide  the  fate  of  the  empire,  and  never  was  England  de- 
populated by  so  terrible  an  engagement.  It  was  a  dreadful 
sight  to  behold  a  hundred  thousand  men  of  the  same  country 
engaged  against  each  other  ;  and  all  to  satisfy  the  ambition 
of  the  weakest  or  the  worst  of  mankind.  While  the  army 
of  Edward  was  advancing  to  the  charge,  there  happened  a 
great  fall  of  snow,  which,  driving  full  in  the  face  of  the 
enemy,  blinded  them ;  and  this  advantage,  seconded  by  ar 
impetuous  onset,  decided  the  victory  in  his  favour.  Edward 
issued  orders  to  give  no  quarter ;  and  a  bloody  slaughter 
ensued,  in  which  near  forty  thousand  of  the  Lancastrians 
were  slain. 

8.  The  weak  and  unfortunate  Henry,  always  imprudent, 
and  always  unsuccessful,  was  taken  prisoner,  carried  to 
London  with  great  ignominy,  and  conducted  to  the  Tower. 
Margaret  was  rather  more  fortunate  :  she  contrived  to  escape 
out  of  the  kingdom,  and  took  refuge  with  her  father  in  Flan- 
ders.* 

9.  Edward  being  now,  by  means  of  the  earl  of  Warwick, 
fixed  upon  the  throne,  reigned  in  peace  and  security,  while 
his  title  was  recognised  by  parliament,  and  universally  sub- 
mitted to  by  the  people.  A.D.  1464.  He  began,  therefore, 
to  give  a  loose  to  his  favourite  passions,  and  a  spirit  of  gal- 
lantry, mixed  with  cruelty,  was  seen  to  prevail  in  his  court. 
The  very  same  palace  which  one  day  exhibited  a  spectacle 
of  horror,  was  to  be  seen  the  day  following  with  a  mask  or 
pageant ;  and  the  king  would  at  once  gallant  a  mistress  and 
inspect  an  execution.  10.  In  order  to  turn  him  from  these 
pursuits,  which  were  calculated  to  render  him  unpopulai, 
the  earl  of  Warwick  advised  him  to  marry ;  and  with  his 
consent  went  over  to  France,  to  procure  Bona  of  Savoy,  as 
queen,  and  the  match  was  accordingly  concluded.  But 
whilst  the  earl  was  hastening  the  negotiation  in  France,  the 

*  Margaret,  flying  with  her  son  into  a  forest,  was  attacked  during  the  night 
by  robbers,  who  despoiled  her  of  her  rings  and  jewels,  and  treated  her  with 
the  utmost  indignity.  The  partition  of  this  great  booty  having  raised  a  vio- 
lent quarrel  among  them,  she  took  an  opportunity  of  flying  with  her  son  into 
the  thickest  part  of  the  forest,  where  she  wandered  till  she  was  overcome 
with  hunger  and  fatigue.  While  in  this  wretched  condition,  she  saw  a  rob- 
ber approaching  with  his  naked  sword;  she  suddenly  embraced  the  resolution 
of  trusting  entirely  to  his  faith  and  generosity,  and  presenting  to  him  the 
young  prince,  "  Here,  my  friend,"  said  she,  "  I  commit  to  your  care  the  safety 
of  the  king's  son."  The  man,  struck  with  the  singularity  of  the  event,  and 
recalled  to  virtue  by  the  flattering  confidence  reposed  in  him,  vowed,  not  only 
to  abstain  from  all  injury  against  the  princess,  but  to  devote  himself  entirely 
to  her  service.  By  his  means  she  reached  the  sea-coast,  and  embarked  for 
Flanders. — De  MoleviUe.  fyc. 


HENRY    VI.  131 

king  himself  rendered  it  abortive  at  home,  by  marrying 
Elizabeth  Grey,*  with  whom  he  had  fallen  in  love,  and 
whom  he  had  vainly  endeavoured  to  debauch.  11.  Having 
thus  given  Warwick  real  cause  of  offence,  he  was  resolved 
to  widen  the  breach  by  driving  him  from  the  council.  War- 
wick, whose  prudence  was  equal  to  his  bravery,  soon  made 
use  of  both  to  assist  his  revenge ;  and  formed  such  a  com- 
bination against  Edward,  that  he  was  in  his  turn  obliged  to 
fly  the  kingdom.  Thus,  once  more,  the  poor,  passive  king 
Henry  was  released  from  prison  to  be  placed  upon  a  danger- 
ous throne.  A  parliament  was  called,  which  confirmed 
Henry's  title  with  great  solemnity  ;  and  Warwick  was  him- 
self received  among  the  people  under  the  title  of  king- 
maker. 

12.  But  Edward's  party,  though  repressed,  was  not  de- 
stroyed. Though  an  exile  in  Holland,  he  had  many  partisans 
at  home ;  and,  after  an  absence  of  nine  months,  being 
seconded  by  a  small  body  of  troops,  granted  to  him  by  the 
duke  of  Burgundy,  he  made  a  descent  at  Ravenspur,  in 
Yorkshire.  Though,  at  first,  he  was  coolly  received  by  the 
English,  yet  his  army  increased  upon  his  march,  while  his 
moderation  and  feigned  humility  still  added  to  the  number 
of  his  partisans.  London,  at  that  time  ever  ready  to  admit 
the  most  powerful,  opened  her  gates  to  him  ;  and  the 
wretched  Henry  was  once  more  plucked  from  a  throne  to  be 
sent  back  to  his'  former  mansion. 

13.  Nothing  now,  therefore,  remained  to  Warwick,  but 
to  cut  short  an  anxious  suspense,  by  hazarding  a  battle. 
Edward's  fortune  prevailed.  They  met  at  St.  Alban's,  and 
the  Lancastrians  were  defeated ;  while  Warwick  himself, 
leading  a  chosen  body  of  troops  into  the  thickest  of  the 
slaughter,  fell,  in  the  midst  of  his  ei»';mies,  covered  with 
wounds. 

Margaret,  receiving  the  fatal  news  of  the  death  of  the  brave 
Warwick,  and  the  total  destruction  of  her  party,  gave  way 
to  her  grief,  for  the  first  time,  in  a  torrent  of  tears ;  and, 
yielding  to  her  unhappy  fate,  took  sanctuary  in  the  abbey 
of  Beaulieu,  in  Hampshire. 

14.  She  had  not  been  long  in  this  melancholy  abode  be- 

*  Elizabeth  Grey  was  daughter  of  sir  Richard  Woodville.  The  king  first 
saw  her  at  court,  whither  she  had  repaired  to  present  a  petition  for  the  reco- 
very of  the  confiscated  lands  of  her  late  husband,  sir  John  Grey,  who  was 
slain  in  arras  on  the  side  of  Henry.  She  told  Edward,  when  he  first  addressed 
her  on  the  subject  of  his  love,  that  though  too  humble  to  be  his  wife,  she  was 
too  high  to  become  his  concubine 


132  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

foro  she  found  some  few  friends  still  waiting  to  assist  her 
fallen  fortunes.  She  had  now  fought  battles  in  almost  every 
province  in  England ;  Tewkesbury-park  was  the  last  scene 
that  terminated  her  attempts.  15.  The  duke  of  Somerset 
headed  her  army :  a  man  who  had  shared  her  dangers,  and 
had  ever  been  steady  in  her  cause.  When  Edward  first  at- 
tacked him  in  his  intrenchments,  he  repulsed  him  with  such 
vigour,  that  the  enemy  retired  with  precipitation ;  upon 
which  the  duke,  supposing  them  routed,  pursued,  and  order- 
ed lord  Wenlock  to  support  his  charge.  But  unfortunately, 
this  lord  disobeyed  his  orders ;  and  Somerset's  forces  were 
soon  overpowered  by  numbers.  16.  In  this  dreadful  exi- 
gence, the  duke  finding  that  all  was  over,  became  ungovern' 
able  in  his  rage ;  and  beholding  Wenlock  inactive,  and 
remaining  in  the  very  place  where  he  had  first  drawn  up 
his  men,  giving  way  to  his  fury,  with  his  heavy  battle-axe 
m  both  hands  he  ran  upon  the  coward,  and  with  one  blow 
dashed  out  his  brains. 

17.  The  queen  and  the  prince  were  taken  prisoners  after 
the  battle,  and  brought  into  the  presence  of  Edward.  The 
young  prince  appeared  before  the  conqueror  with  undaunted 
majesty;  and  being  asked,  in  an  insulting  manner,  how  he 
dared  to  invade  England  without  leave,  more  mindful  of  his 
high  birth  than  of  his  ruined  fortunes,  he  boldly  replied,  "  I 
have  entered  the  dominions  of  my  father,  to  revenge  his  in- 
juries, and  to  redress  my  own."  18.  The  barbarous  Ed- 
ward, enraged  at  his  intrepidity,  struck  him  on  his  mouth 
with  his  gauntlet ;  and  this  served  as  a  signal  for  further 
brutality  :  the  dukes  of  Gloucester,  Clarence,  and  others, 
like  wild  beasts,  rushing  on  the  unarmed  youth  at  once, 
stabbed  him  to  the  heart  with  their  daggers.  To  complete 
the  tragedy,  Henry  himself  was  soon  after  murdered  in  cold 
blood.  Of  all  those  that  were  taken,  none  were  suffered  to 
survive  but  Margaret  lisrself.  19.  It  was  perhaps  expected 
that  she  would  be  ransomed  by  the  king  of  France  ;  and  in 
this  they  were  not  deceived,  as  that  monarch  paid  the  king 
of  England  fifty  thousand  crowns  for  her  freedom.  This 
extraordinary  woman,  after  having  sustained  the  cause  of  her 
husband  in  twelve  battles,  after  having  survived  her  friends, 
fortunes,  and  children,  died  a  few  years  after  in  privacy  in 
France,  very  miserable  indeed  ;  but  with  few  other  claims 
to  our  pity,  except  her  courage  and  her  distresses.* 

*  During  this  and  several  previous  reigns,  a  most  absurd  fashion  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  people.    It  was  customary  to  wear  the  beaks  or  points  of  their 


HENRY   VI. 


133 


1. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

What  was  the  issue  of  the  first  battle  between  the  houses  of  York  and 
Lancaster  ? 

2.  What  was  the  fortune  of  Henry? 

3.  Where  did  the  contending  parties  next  meet  ? 

What  circumstances  gave  the  advantage  to  Henry's  party  ? 

4.  Who  was  the  commander  of  the  Yorkists  ? 

5.  What  was  his  success  ? 

6.  Who  now  laid  claim  to  the  crown  ? 

7.  What  were  the  particulars  of  the  action  at  Towton  ? 

8   What  happened  to  Margaret  and  the  young  prince  after  the  battle  ? 
9.  How  did  Edward  conduct  himself  after  his  accession  ? 
11   For  what  reason  did  Warwick  combine  against  Edward  ? 
By  what  title  was  Warwick  received  among  the  people  ? 

13.  What  was  the  fortune  of  the  next  battle  ? 

14.  What  followed  this  engagement  ? 

17.  What  was  the  answer  of  the  young  prince  to  Edward  ? 

18.  What  was  his  treatment  ? 

What  was  the  fate  of  Henry  ? 

19.  What  of  Margaret? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

Martin  V 1417 

Eugenius  VI 1431 

Nicholas  V 1447 

Calixtus  III 1455 

Pius  II 1458 

Emperors  of  the  East. 

Emanuel  II 1391 

John  VII 1429 

Constantine  III. 
and  last  Christian 
emperor.  Suc- 
ceeded by  his 
conqueror  Ma- 
homet  II.    who 


A.D. 

took  Constantino- 
ple by  storm,May 
29 1453 

Emperors  of  the  West. 

Sigismund 1410 

Albert  II 1438 

Frederick  HI 1440 


Kiyigs  of  France- 
Charles  VII 1452 

Louis  XI 1461 


Kings  of  Portugal. 
John  1 1385 


A.D 

Edward..... 1433 

Alphonsus 1438 

Kings  of  Denmark  and 
Sweden. 

Eric  IX 1411 

Christopher  III....   1439 
Christian  1 1448 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

Robert  III 1390 

James  1 1424 

James  II 1437 

James  III 1460 


EiMINENT  PERSONS. 

John  Stratford  and  John  Kemp,  archbishops  of  Canterbury.  De  La  Pole, 
duke  of  Suffolk.  The  Dukes  of  Bedford,  Gloucester,  Exeter,  and  bishop  of 
Winchester,  regents  and  guardians  to  the  king.    Richard,  duke  of  York. 


shoes  so  long,  that  it  was  necessary  to  tie  them  up  to  their  knees  with  laces 
or  chains,  to  enable  them  to  walk  without  stumbling :  gentlemen  used  for 
this  purpose  chains  made  of  silver,  ^  r  silver  gilt,  and  others  used  laces.  This 
ridiculous. custom  was  now  (A.D.  1467)  prohibited,. on  the  forfeiture  of  twen- 
ty shillings,  and  the  pain  of  cursing  by  the  clergy.  Whatever  absurdities  in 
dress  may  have  been  rendered  fashionable  in  modern  times,  certainly  none 
have  exceeded  this  folly  of  our  ancestors. 


M 


134  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
EDWARD  IV. 


Born  1441.    Died  April  9th,  1482.    Began  to  reign  March  5th,  1461.    Reigned 
22  years. 

Edward,  to  each  voluptuous  vice  a  slave. 

Cruel,  intemp'rate,  vain,  suspicious,  brave.  —  Egerton. 

I.  (A.D.  1478.)  Edward,  being  now  free  from  great 
enemies,  turned  to  the  punishment  of  those  of  lesser  note  ; 
so  that  the  gibbets  were  hung  with  his  adversaries,  and  their 
estates  confiscated  to  his  use. 

Whilst  he  was  rendering  himself  terrible  on  the  one  hand, 
he  was  immersed  in  abandoned  pleasures  on  the  other. 
Nature,  it  seems,  was  not  unfavourable  to  him  in  personal 
charms  ;  as  he  was  universally  allowed  to  be  the  most  beau- 
tiful man  of  his  time.  2.  His  courtiers  also  seemed  willing 
to  encourage  those  debaucheries  in  which  they  had  a  share  ; 
and  the  clergy,  as  they  themselves  practised  every  kind  of 
lewdness  with  impunity,  were  ever  ready  to  lend  absolution 
to  all  his  failings.  The  truth  is,  enormous  vices  had  been 
of  late  too  common. 

Among  his  other  cruelties,  that  to  his  brother,  the  duke 
of  Clarence,  is  the  most  remarkable.  The  king,  hunting 
one  day  in  the  park  of  Thomas  Burdet,  a  creature  of  the 
duke's,  killed  a  white  buck,  which  was  a  great  favourite  of 
the  owner.  Burdet,  vexed  at  the  loss,  broke  into  a  passion, 
and  wished  the  horns  of  the  deer  in  the  belly  of  the  person 
who  had  advised  the  king  to  that  insult.  For  this  trifling 
exclamation,  Burdet  was  tried  for  his  life,  and  publicly  ex- 
ecuted at  Tyburn.  4.  The  duke  of  Clarence,  upon  the 
death  of  his  friend,  vented  his  grief  in  renewed  reproaches 
against  his  brother,  and  exclaimed  against  the  iniquity  of  the 
sentence.  The  king,  highly  offended  with  this  liberty,  or 
using  that  as  a  pretext  against  him,  had  him  arraigned  be- 
fore the  house  of  peers,  and  appeared  in  person  as  his  ac- 
cuser. 5.  In  those  times  of  confusion,  every  crime  alleged 
by  the   prevailing  party  was  fatal ;    the    duke  was  found 


EDWARD  V. 


135 


guilty ;  and,  being  granted  a  choice  of  the  manner  in  which 
he  would  die,  was  privately  drowned  in  a  butt  of  malmsey 
in  the  Tower:  a  whimsical  choice,  and  implying  that  he  had 
an  extraordinary  passion  for  that  liquor. 

6.  However,  if  this  monarch's  reign  was  tyrannical,  it 
was  but  short ;  while  he  was  employed  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  a  war  with  France,  he  was  seized  with  a  distemper, 
of  which  he  expired  in  the  forty-second  year  of  his  age,  and 
counting  from  the  deposition  of  the  late  king,  in  the  twenty- 
third  of  his  reign. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  now  the  conduct  of  Edward  ? 

2.  For  what  was  Burdet  tried  and  executed  ? 

4.  Relate  the  cruelty  of  Edward  towards  his  brother. 

5.  What  kind  of  death  did  the  duke  of  Clarence  prefer  ? 

6.  How  long  did  Edward  the  Fourth  reign  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

Pius  II 1458 

Paul  II 1464 

SextuslV '..  1471 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Frederic  II 1440 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 
Mahomet  II 1453 


A.D, 

Bajazet  II 1481 

King  of  France. 
Louis  IX 1461 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

AlphonsusV 1438 

John  II 1481 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Kings  of  Denmark  and 
Sweden. 

A.D. 

Christian  1 1440 

JohnI 1481 


James 


ng  c 

Bin: 


Thomas  Borlieur,  archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  Nevil,  earl  of  Warwick,  call- 
ed the  king-maker;  Beaufort,  duke  of  Somerset ;  Richard,  duke  of  Glouces- 
ter; Tiptoft,  earl  of  Worcester ;  William  Caxton,  mercer  of  London,  the  first 
printer  (practised  his  art  in  Westminster  Abbey,  1471).    Jane  Shore. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
EDWARD  V. 

Born  1470.    Died  June,  1483.    Began  to  reign  April  9, 1483.    Reigned  3  months. 

What's  this 
That  rises  like  the  issue  of  a  king, 
And  bears  upon  his  baby  brow  the  round 
And  top  of  sov'reignty  1  Shakspeare. 

1.  (A.D.  1483.)  The  duke  of  Gloucester,  who  had  been 
made  protector  of  the  realm,  upon  a  pretence  of  guarding 
the  persons  of  the  late  king's  children  from  danger,  conveyed 
them  both  to  the  Tower. 


136  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Having  thus  secured  them,  his  next  step  was  to  spread  a 
report  of  their  illegitimacy ;  and  by  pretended  obstacles,  ta 
put  off  the  day  appointed  for  young  Edward's  coronation. 
His  next  aim  was  to  despatch  Lord  Hastings,  whom  he 
knew  to  be  warmly  in  the  young  king's  interest. 

2.  Having  summoned  Lord  Hastings  to  a  council  in  the 
Tower,  he  entered  the  room  knitting  his  brows,  biting  his 
lips,  and  showing,  by  a  frequent  change  of  countenance,  the 
signs  of  some  inward  perturbation.  A  silence  ensued  for 
some  time :  and  the  lords  of  the  council  looked  upon  each 
other,  not  without  reason  expecting  some  horrid  catas- 
trophe. 3.  Laying  bare  his  arm,  all  shrivelled  and  decayed, 
he  accused  Jane  Shore  and  her  accomplices  of  having  pro- 
duced this  deformity  by  their  sorceries  ;  upon  which  Hast- 
ings cried,  "  If  they  have  committed  such  a  crime,  they 
deserve  punishment."—"  If !"  cried  the  protector,  with  a  loud 
voice ;  "  dost  thou  answer  me  with  ifs  ?  I  tell  thee  they 
have  conspired  my  death ;  and  that  thou,  traitor,  art  an  ac- 
complice in  the  crime."  4.  He  struck  the  table  twice  with 
his  hand,  and  the  room  was  instantly  filled  with  armed  men. 
*  1  arrest  thee,"  continued  he,  turning  to  Hastings,  "  for 
high- treason ;"  and  at  the  same  time  gave  him  in  charge  to 
the  soldiers.  Hastings  was  obliged  to  make  a  short  con- 
fession to  the  next  priest  that  was  at  hand  ;  the  protector 
crying  out,  by  St.  Paul,  that  he  would  not  dine  till  he  had 
seen  his  head  taken  off.  He  was  accordingly  hurried  out  to 
the  little  green  before  the  Tower  chapel,  and  there  beheaded 
on  a  log  of  wood  that  accidentally  lay  in  the  way. 

5.  Jane  Shore,  the  late  king's  favourite,  was  the  next  that 
felt  his  indignation.  This  unfortunate  woman  was  an  ene- 
my too  humble  to  excite  his  jealousy  :  yet,  as  he  had  ac- 
cused her  of  witchcraft,  of  which  all  the  world  saw  she 
was  innocent,  he  thought  proper  to  make  her  an  example 
for  those  faults  of  which  she  was  really  guilty.  6.  She 
had  been  formerly  deluded  from  her  husband,  who  was  a 
goldsmith  in  Lombard-street,  and  continued  to  live  with  Ed- 
ward, the  most  guiltless  favourite  in  his  abandoned  court. 
It  was  very  probable  that  the  people  were  not  displeased  at 
seeing  one  again  reduced  to  her  former  meanness  who  had 
for  a  while  been  raised  above  them,  and  enjoyed  the  smiles 
of  a  court.  7.  The  charge  against  her  was  too  notorious 
to  be  denied ;  she  pleaded  guilty,  and  was  accordingly  con- 
demned to  walk  barefooted  through  the  city,  and  to  do  pe- 
iiance  in  St.  Paul's  church  in  a  white  sheet,  with  a  wax 


EDWARD    V.  137 

taper  in  her  hand,  before  thousands  of  spectators.  She  lived 
above  forty  years  after  this  sentence,  and  was  reduced  to 
the  most  extreme  indigence. 

8.  The  protector  now  began  to  throw  off  the  mask,  and 
to  deny  his  pretended  regard  for  the  sons  of  the  late  king, 
thinking  it  high  time  to  aspire  to  the  crown  more  openly. 
He  had  previously  gained  over  the  duke  of  Buckingham, 
a  man  of  talents  and  power,  by  bribes  and  promises  of 
future  favour.  This  nobleman,  therefore,  used  all  his  arts 
to  cajole  the  populace  and  citizens  at  St.  Paul's  cross  ;  and, 
construing  their  silence  into  consent,  his  followers  cried 
"  Long  live  king  Richard !"  Soon  after,  the  mayor  and 
aldermen  waiting  upon  Richard  with  an  offer  of  the  crown, 
he  accepted  it  with  seeming  reluctance 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester  towards  the  young 

princes  ? 

2,  3.  By  what  vile  arts  did  he  get  rid  of  lord  Hastings  ? 

5.  Who  next  felt  his  indignation  ? 

6.  Who  was  Jane  Shore  ? 

7.  What  punishment  did  she  suffer  ? 

8.  In  what  manner  did  Richard  contrivo  to  procure  an  offer  of  the  crown  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Pope.  A.D. 

SextusIV 1471 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Frederic  III 1440 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 
Bajazetll 1481 


King  of  France. 

A.D. 

Charles  VIII 1483 

King  of  Portugal. 
John  II 1481 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 


King  of  Denmark  ana 
Sweden. 

A.D. 

John 1481 

King  of  Scotland. 
JamealH 1460 


Richard,  duke  of  Gloucester,  protector.  Edward,  earl  of  Warwick ; 
Margaret,  countess  of  Salisbury  (children  of  George,  duke  of  Clarence) 
Earl  Grey ;  marquis  of  Dorset ;  William  LordT  Hastings.  William 
Caxton,  mercer,  of  London,  the  first  English  printer ;  he  established  a 
printing  press  in  Westminster-abbey,  A.  D.  1471. 

x2 


HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

RICHARD  m. 


Born  1450.    Died  Aug.  23,  1485.    Began  to  reign  June  27,  1483.    Reigned 
2  years. 

Tetchy  and  wayward  was  his  infancy ; 

His  school-days  frightful,  desperate,  wild,  and  furious; 

His  prime  of  mnnhood  daring,  bold  and  venturous  ; 

His  age  confirm'd,  proud,  subtle,  sly,  and  bloody. —  Shakspeare. 

1.*  (A.  D.  1483.)  One  crime  ever  draws  on  another; 
justice  will  revolt  against  fraud,  and  usurpation  require? 
security.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  Richard  was  seated  upon  the 
throne,  he  sent  the  governor  of  the  Tower  orders  to  put  the 
two  young  princes  to  death ;  but  this  brave  man,  whose 
name  was  Brackenbury,  refused  to  be  made  the  instrument 
of  a  tyrant's  will ;  but  submissively  answered,  that  he  knew 
not  how  to  imbrue  his  hands  in  innocent  blood.  A  fit  in- 
strument, however,  was  not  long  wanting;  sir  James  Tyrrel 
readily  undertook  the  office,  and  Brackenbury  was  ordered 
to  resign  to  him  the  keys  for  one  night.  2.  Tyrrel,  choosing 
three  associates,  Slater,  Deighton,  and  Forest,  came  in  the 
night-time  to  the  door  of  the  chamber  where  the  princes 
were  lodged,  and,  sending  in  the  assassins,  he  bid  them  ex- 
ecute their  commission,  while  he  himself  stayed  without. 
They  found  the  young  princes  in  bed,  and  fallen  into  a 
sound  sleep :  after  suffocating  them  with  a  bolster  and  pil- 
lows, they  showed  their  naked  bodies  to  Tyrrel,  who 
ordered  them  to  be  buried  at  the  stairs'  foot,  deep  in  the 
ground,  under  a  heap  of  stones. 

3.  But  while  the  usurper  thus  endeavoured  to  establish 
his  power,  he  found  it  threatened  in  a  quarter  where  he  least 
expected  an  attack.  The  duke  of  Buckingham,  who  had 
been  instrumental  in  placing  him  on  the  throne,  now  took 
disgust,  being  refused  some  confiscated  lands  for  which  he 
solicited.  He  therefore  levied  a  body  of  men  in  Wales, 
and  advanced  with  hasty  marches  towards  Gloucester,  where 
he  designed  to  cross  the  Severn.  4.  Just  at  that  time  the 
river  was  swoln  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  country  on  both 
sides  was  deluged,  and  even  the  tops  of  some  hills  were 
covered  with  water.  The  inundation  continued  for  ten 
days ;   during  which   Buckingham's   army,   composed  of 

*  See  the  note  at  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VII. 


RICHARD    III.  139 

Welshmen,  could  neither  pass  the  river  nor  find  subsistence 
on  their  own  side ;  they  were  therefore  obliged  to  disperse, 
and  return  home,  notwithstanding  all  the  duke's  efforts  to 
prolong  their  stay.  5.  In  this  helpless  situation,  the  duke, 
after  a  short  deliberation,  took  refuge  at  the  house  of  one 
Bannister,  who  had  been  his  servant,  and  who  had  received 
repeated  obligations  from  his  family ;  but  the  wicked  seldom 
lind,  as  they  seldom  exert,  friendship.  Bannister,  unable  to 
resist  the  temptation  of  a  large  reward  that  was  set  upon 
the  duke's  head,  went  and  betrayed  him  to  the  sheriff  of 
Shropshire  :  who,  surrounding  the  house  with  armed  men, 
seized  the  duke,  in  the  habit  of  a  peasant,  and  conducted 
him  to  Salisbury  ;  where  he  was  instantly  tried,  condemned, 
and  executed,  according  to  the  summary  method  practised 
in  those  days. 

6.  Amidst  the  perplexity  caused  by  many  disagreeable 
occurrences,  the  king  received  information  that  the  earl  of 
Richmond  was  making  preparations  to  land  in  England,  and 
assert  his  claims  to  the  crown.  Richard,  who  knew  not  in 
what  quarter  he  might  expect  the  invader,  had  taken  post  at 
Nottingham,  in  the  Centre  of  the  kingdom ;  and  had  given 
commission  to  several  of  his  creatures  to  oppose  the  enemy 
wherever  he  should  land. 

7.  Some  time  after,  however,  the  earl  of  Richmond,  who 
was  a  descendant  from  John  of  Gaunt,  by  the  female  line, 
resolved  to  strike  for  the  crown.  He  had  been  obliged  to 
quit  the  kingdom  ;  but  he  now,  knowing  how  odious  the 
king  was,  set  out  from  Harfleur,  in  Normandy,  with  a 
retinue  of  ^bout  two  thousand  persons,  and  after  a  voyage 
of  six  days,  arrived  at  Milford-haven,  in  Wales,  where  he 
landed  without  opposition. 

8.  Upon  news  of  this  descent,  Richard,  who  was  pos- 
sessed of  courage  and  military  conduct,  his  only  virtues, 
instantly  resolved  to  meet  his  antagonist  and  decide  their 
mutual  pretensions  by  a  battle.  Richmond,  on  the  other 
hand,  being  reinforced  by  sir  Thomas  Bouchier,  sir  Walter 
Hungerford,  and  others,  to  the  number  of  about  six  thou- 
sand, boldly  advanced  with  the  same  intention ;  and  in  a 
few  days  both  armies  drew  near  Bos  worth-field,*  where  the 
contest  that  had  now  for  more  than  forty  years  filled  the 
kingdom  with  civil  commotions,  and  deluged  its  plains  with 
blood,  was  determined  by  the  death  of  Richard,  who  was 

*  In  Leicestershire.    The  battle  fought  at  this  place  was  the  last  of  thir* 
ceen  between  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster. 


140 


HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 


slain  in  battle :  while  Richmond  was  saluted  king  by  th* 
title  of  Henry  the  Seventh.* 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  was  the  first  act  of  Richard  ? 

2.  In  what  manner  were  his  orders  executed  ? 

3.  From  what  quarter  and  on  what  occasion  was  Richard  first  threatened 

4.  What  obliged  Buckingham's  army  to  disperse  ? 
ft.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  duke  of  Buckingham  ? 

6.  With  what  new  opposer  did  Richard  now  contend  ? 

7.  Where  did  Richmond  land  ? 

8.  By  whom  was  he  joined  ? 
Where  did  the  armies  meet? 
What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.T>. 

SextusIV 1471 

Innocent  V1I1 1484 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Frederic  II 1440 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 
Bajazetll 1481 


King  of  France. 
Charles  VIII 1483 


King  of  Portugal. 
John  II 1481 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


King  of  Denmark  and 
Stveden. 

A.E 

John 14& 

King  of  Scotland. 
James  HI 1461 


Henry  Tudor,  earl  of  Richmond 
earl  of  Oxford.    Thomas,  lord  Stanle 


Stafford,  duke  of  Buckingham.    Vere, 
ey.    Howard,  duke  of  Norfolk.    Francis, 
viscount  Lovel.    Sir  Richard  Ratcliffe.    Sir  William  Catesby. 


*  Richard's  body,  after  being  exposed,  was  buried  in  the  church  of  the 
Grey  Friars,  at  Leicester.  Henry  VII.  bestowed  a  monument  on  it,  which 
was  demolished  at  the  dissolution  of  abbeys  under  Henry  VIII. ;  and  the 
monarch's  stone  coffin  actually  served  for  a  horse-trough,  at  the  White  Horse 
Inn ;  "  Sic  transit  gloria  mundi !" 


HENRY   VII.  141 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

-/  HENRY  VII. 

Born  1456.   Died  April  23, 1509.    Began  to  reign  Aug.  23, 1485.   Reigned  23}  years. 

SECTION  I. 

But  oh !  how  altered  was  the  mournful  tone, 

When  Harry  Richmond,  armed  with  title  true, 
His  baldrick  'cross  his  shoulder  flung, 

And  with  enliv'ning  trumpet  blew 
A  call  to  arms  that  through  the  island  rung! 
His  claim  announcing  to  the  English  throne.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1485.)  Henry's  first  care,  upon  coming  to  the 
throne,  was  to  marry  the  princess  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Edward  the  Fourth ;  and  thus  he  blended  the  interest  of  the 
houses  of  York  and  Lancaster,  so  that  ever  after  they  were 
incapable  of  distinction. 

2.  A  great  part  of  the  miseries  of  his  predecessors  pro- 
ceeded from  their  poverty,  which  was  mostly  occasioned  by 
riot  and  dissipation.  Henry  saw  thak  money  alone  could 
turn  the  scale  of  power  in  his  favour ;  and,  therefore, 
hoarded  up  all  the  confiscations  of  his  enemies  with  the 
utmost  frugality. 

Immediately  after  his  marriage  with  Elizabeth,  he  issued 
a  general  pardon  to  all  such  as  chose  to  accept  it ;  but  people 
were  become  so  turbulent  and  factious,  by  a  long  course  of 
civil  war,  that  no  governor  could  rule  them,  nor  any  king 
please ;  so  that  one  rebellion  seemed  extinguished  only  to 
give  rise  to  another. 

3.  There  lived  in  Oxford  one  Richard  Simon,  a  priest, 
who  possessing  some  subtlety,  and  more  rashness,  trained 
up  Lambert  Simnel,  a  baker's  son,  to  counterfeit  the  person 
of  the  earl  of  Warwick,  the  son  of  the  duke  of  Clarence, 
who  was  smothered  in  a  butt  of  malmsey.  But,  as  the  im- 
postor was  not  calculated  to  bear  a  close  inspection,  it  was 
thought  proper  to  show  him  first  at  a  distance  ;  and  Ireland 
was  judged  the  fittest  theatre  for  him  to  support  his  assumed 
character. 

4.  In  this  manner  Simnel,  being  joined  by  lord  Lovel, 
and  one  or  two  lords  more  of  the  discontented  party,  re- 
solved to  pass  over  into  England ;  and  accordingly  landed 
in  Lancashire,  from  whence  he  marched  to  York,  expecting 
the  country  would  rise  and  join  him  as  he  marched  along. 
But  in  this  he  was  deceived;  the  people,  averse  to  join  a 
body  of  German  and  Irish  troops,  by  whom  he  was  sup- 


142  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

ported,  and  kept  in  awe  by  the  king's  reputation,  remained 
in  tranquillity,  or  gave  all  their  assistance  to  the  royal  cause. 
5.  The  opposite  armies  met  at  Stoke,  in  the  county  of 
Nottingham,  and  fought  a  battle,  which  was  more  bloody, 
and  more  obstinately  disputed,  than  could  have  been  ex- 
pected from  the  inequality  of  their  forces.  6.  But  a  vic- 
tory at  length  declared  in  favour  of  the  king,  and  it  proved 
decisive.  Lord  Lincoln  perished  in  the  field  of  battle  : 
lord  Lovel  was  never  more  heard  of,  and  it  is  supposed  he 
shared  the  same  fate.  Simnel,  with  his  tutor  Simon,  were 
taken  prisoners;  and  four  thousand  of  the  common  men 
fell  in  the  battle.  Simon,  being  a  priest,  could  not  be  tried 
by  the  civil  power,  and  was  only  committed  to  close  con- 
finement. 7.  Simnel  was  too  contemptible  to  excite  the 
king's  fear  or  resentment ;  he  was  pardoned,  and  made 
a  scullion  in  the  king's  kitchen,  whence  he  was  afterwards 
advanced  to  the  rank  of  falconer,  in  which  mean  employ- 
ment he  died. 

8.  A  fresh  insurrection  began  in  Yorkshire.  The  people 
resisting  the  commissioners  who  were  appointed  to  levy 
the  taxes,  the  earl  of  Northumberland  attempted  to  enforce 
the  king's  command ;  but  the  populace,  being  by  this  taught 
to  believe  that  he  was  the  adviser  of  their  oppressions,  flew 
to  arms,  attacked  his  house,  and  put  him  to  death.  The 
mutineers  did  not  stop  there;  but,  by  the  advice  of  one 
John  Archamber,  a  seditious  fellow  of  mean  appearance, 
they  chose  sir  John  Egremont  for  their  leader,  and  prepared 
themselves  for  a  vigorous  resistance.  9.  The  king,  upon 
hearing  of  this  rash  proceeding,  immediately  levied  a  force, 
which  he  put  under  the  earl  of  Surry :  and  this  nobleman, 
encountering  the  rebels,  dissipated  the  tumult,  and  took 
their  leader,  Archamber,  prisoner.  Archamber  was  shortly 
after  executed,  but  sir  John  Egremont  fled  to  the  court  of 
the  dutchess  of  Burgundy,  the  usual  retreat  of  all  who  were 
obnoxious  to  government  in  England. 

10.  One  would  have  imagined,  that  from  the  ill  success 
of  Simnel's  imposture,  few  would  be  willing  to  embark  in 
another  of  a  similar  kind  ;  however,  the  old  dutchess  of 
Burgundy,  rather  irritated  than  discouraged  by  the  failure 
of  her  past  enterprises,  was  determined  to  disturb  that  go- 
vernment which  she  could  not  subvert,  A.  D.  1492.  She 
first  procured  a  report  to  be  spread  that  the  young  duke  of 
York,  said  to  have  been  murdered  in  the  Tower,  was  still 
living  ;  and  finding  the  rumour  greedily  received,  she  soon 


HENRY   VII.  143 

produced  a  young  man  who  assumed  his  name  and  cha- 
racter. 11.  The  person  chosen  to  sustain  this  part  was  one 
Osbeck,  or  Warbeck,  the  son  of  a  converted  Jew,  who  had 
been  over  in  England  during  the  reign  of  Edward  IV. 
where  he  had  this  son  named  Peter,  but  corrupted,  after 
the  Flemish  manner,  into  Peterkin,  or  Perkin.  12.  The 
dutchess  of  Burgundy  found  this  youth  entirely  suited  to 
ner  purposes  ;  and  her  lessons,  instructing  him  to  personate 
the  duke  of  York,  were  easily  learned  and  strongly  retained 
by  a  youth  of  very  quick  apprehension.  In  short,  his 
graceful  air,  his  courtly  address,  his  easy  manner,  and 
elegant  conversation,  were  capable  of  imposing  upon  all 
but  such  as  were  conscious  of  the  imposture. 

The  English,  ever  ready  to  revolt,  gave  credit  to  all  these 
absurdities  ;  while  the  young  man's  prudence,  conversation, 
and  deportment  served  to  confirm  what  their  disaffection 
and  credulity  had  begun. 

13.  Among  those  who  secretly  abetted  the  cause  of 
Perkin  were  lord  Fitzwalter,  sir  Simond  Mountford,  sir 
Thomas  Thwaits,  and  sir  Robert  Clifford.  But  the  person 
of  the  greatest  weight,  and  the  most  dangerous  opposition, 
was  sir  William  Stanley,  the  lord  chamberlain,  and  brother 
to  the  famous  lord  Stanley,  who  had  contributed  to  place 
Henry  on  the  throne.  This  personage,  either  moved  by  a 
blind  credulity,  or  more  probably  by  a  restless  ambition, 
entered  into  a  regular  conspiracy  against  the  king ;  and  a 
correspondence  Was  settled  between  the  malecontents  in 
England  and  those  in  Flanders. 

14.  While  the  plot  was  thus  carrying  on  in  all  quarters, 
Henry  was  not  inattentive  to  the  designs  of  his  enemies. 
He  spared  neither  labour  nor  expense  to  detect  the  false- 
hood of  the  pretender  to  his  crown  ;  and  was  equally  assi- 
duous in  finding  out  who  were  his  secret  abettors.  For 
this  purpose  he  dispersed  his  spies  through  all  Flanders, 
and  brought  over,  by  large  bribes,  some  of  those  whom  he 
knew  to  be  in  the  enemy's  interest.  15.  Among  these,  sir 
Robert  Clifford  was  the  most  remarkable,  both  for  his  con- 
sequence, and  the  confidence  with  which  he  was  trusted. 
From  this  person  Henry  learnt  the  whole  of  Perkin's  birth 
and  adventures,  together  with  the  names  of  all  those  who 
had  secretly  combined  to  assist  him.  The  king  was  pleased 
with  the  discovery ;  but  the  more  trust  he  gave  to  his  spies, 
the  higher  resentment  did  he  feign  against  them. 

16.  At  first  he  was  struck  with  indignation  at  the  ingra- 


144  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

titude  of  many  of  those  about  him;  but,  concealing  his 
resentment  for  a  proper  opportunity,  he  almost  at  the  same 
instant  arrested  Fitzwalter,  Mountford,  and  Thwaits,  to- 
gether with  William  Danbury,  Robert  Ratcliff,  Thomas 
Cressenor,  and  Thomas  Astwood.  All  these  were  arraigned, 
convicted,  and  condemned  for  high-treason.  Mountford, 
Ratcliff,  and  Danbury  were  immediately  executed ;  the  rest 
received  a  pardon. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1 .  What  was  Henry's  first  care  ? 

2.  What  prudent  measures  did  he  take  to  secure  his  power  ? 

3.  Who  counterfeited  the  person  of  the  earl  of  Warwick  ? 
4   By  whom  was  Simnel  joined  ? 

5,  6.  What  were  the  consequences  of  this  rebellion  ? 

7.  What  became  of  Simnel  ? 

8.  What  caused  a  fresh  insurrection  ?  and  what  was  the  conduct  of  th« 

mutineers  ? 

10.  What  other  imposture  was  now  undertaken? 

11.  Who  was  chosen  to  personate  the  duke  of  York  ? 

12.  Who  instructed  Perkin  to  personate  him? 

13.  Who  were  his  abettors  ? 

14.  15.  What  was  Henry's  conduct  on  this  occasion  ? 
16.  What  was  the  fate  of  those  who  opposed  the  king  ? 


SECTION  II. 

James  backed  the  cause  of  that  weak  prince 
Warbeck,  that  Flemish  counterfeit, 
Who  on  the  gibbet  paid  the  cheat.  —  Scott. 


1.  (A.  D.  1494.)  The  young  adventurer,  thus  finding  his 
hopes  frustrated  in  England,  went  next  to  try  his  fortune 
in  Scotland.  In  that  country  his  luck  seemed  greater  than 
in  England,  James  IV.,  the  king  of  that  country,  receiving 
him  with  great  cordiality.  He  was  seduced  to  believe  the 
story  of  his  birth  and  adventures ;  and  he  carried  his  con- 
fidence so  far,  as  to  give  him  in  marriage  lady  Catharine 
Gordon,  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Huntley,  and  a  near  kins- 
woman of  his  own ;  a  young  lady  eminent  for  virtue  as 
well  as  beauty.  2.  But  not  content  with  these  instances 
of  favour,  he  was  resolved  to  attempt  setting  him  on  the 
throne  of  England.  It  was  naturally  expected  that,  upon 
Perkin's  first  appearance  in  that  kingdom,  all  the  friends  of 
the  house  of  York  would  rise  in  his  favour.  Upon  this 
ground,  therefore,  the  king  of  Scotland  entered  England 
with  a  numerous  army,  and  proclaimed  the  young  adven- 
turer wherever  he  went.     But  Perkin's  pretensions,  attended 


HENRY    VII.  145 

by  repeated  disappointments,  were  now  become  stale,  even 
in  the  eyes  of  the  populace  ;  so  that,  contrary  to  expecta- 
tion, none  were  found  to  second  his  views. 

3.  In  this   manner  the  restless  Perkin,  being  dismissed 
Scotland,  and  meeting  with  a  very  cold  reception  from  the 
Flemings,  who  now  desired  to  be  at  peace  with  the  English, 
resolved  to  continue  his  scheme  of  opposition,  and  took  re- 
fuge among  the  wilds  and  fastnesses  of  Ireland.    A.  D.  1497. 
Impatient  of  an  inactive  life,  he  held   a  consultation  with 
his   followers,  Heme,  Skelton;   and  Astley,  three  broken 
tradesmen ;  and  by  their  advice  he  resolved  to  try  the  affec- 
tions of  the  Cornisli  men;  and  he  no  sooner  made  his  ap- 
pearance among  them  at  Bodmid,  in  Cornwall,  than  the 
populace,  to  the  number  of  three  thousand,  flocked  to  his 
standard.     4.  Elated  with  this  appearance   of  success,  he 
took  on. him,   for   the  first  time,  the  title  of  Richard  the 
Fourth,  king  of  England ;  and,  not  to  suffer  the  spirits  of 
his   adherents   to  languish,   he   led   them  to  the   gates   of 
Exeter.      Finding  the  inhabitants  obstinate  in  refusing  to 
admit  him,  and  being  unprovided  with  artillery  to  force  an 
entrance,  he  broke   up   the  siege  of  Exeter,  and  retired  to 
Taunton.      5.  His  followers,   by  this  time,   amounted   to 
seven   thousand   men,  and   appeared   ready   to   defend  his 
cause  ;  but  his  heart  failed  him  upon  being  informed  that 
the  king  was   coming  down  to   oppose   him ;   and,  instead 
of  bringing  his  men  into   the   field,  he  privately  deserted 
them,  and  took  sanctuary  in  the  monastery  of  Beaulieu,  in 
the  New  Forest.    His  wretched  adherents,  left  to  the  king's 
mercy,  found  him  still  willing  to  pardon  ;  and  except  a  few 
of  the  ringleaders,  none  were  treated  with  capital  severity. 
6.  At  the  same  time  some  other  persons  were  employed  to 
treat  with  Perkin,  and  to  persuade  him,  under  promise  of 
a  pardon,  to  deliver  himself  up  to  justice,  and  to  confess 
and  explain  all  the  circumstances  of  his  imposture.     His 
affairs  being  altogether  desperate,  he  embraced  the  king's 
offer  without  hesitation,  and  quitted  the  sanctuary.     Henry 
being  desirous  of  seeing  him,  he  was  brought  to  court,  and 
conducted  through  the  streets  of  London  in  a  kind  of  mock 
triumph,  amidst  the  derision  and  insults  of  the  populace, 
which  he  bore  with  the  most  dignified  resignation.     7.   He 
was  then  compelled  to  sign  a  confession  of  his  former  life 
and  conduct,  which  was  printed  and  dispersed  throughout 
the  nation ;  but  it  was  so  defective  and  contradictory,  that 
instead  of  explaining  the  pretended  imposture,  it  left  it  still 

N 


146  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

more  doubtful  than  before ;  and  this  youth's  real  pretensions 
are  to  this  very  day  an  object  of  dispute  among  the  learned. 
After  attempting  once  or  twice  to  escape  from  custody,  he 
was  hanged  at  Tyburn:  and  several  of  his  adherents  suf- 
fered the  same  ignominious  death. 

8.  There  had  been  hitherto  nothing  in  this  reign  but 
plots,  treasons,  insurrections,  impostures,  and  executions ; 
and  it  is  probable  that  Henry's  severity  proceeded  from 
the  continual  alarm  in  which  they  held  him.  It  is  certain 
that  no  prince  ever  loved  peace  more  than  he  ;  and  much 
of  the  ill  will  of  his  subjects  arose  from  his  attempts  to 
repress  their  inclinations  for  war.  The  usual  preface  to  all 
his  treaties  was,  "  That,  when  Christ  came  into  the  world, 
peace  was  sung;  and  when  he  went  out  of  the  world,  peace 
was  bequeathed." 

9.  He  had  all  along  two  points  in  view ;  one  to  depress 
the  nobility  and  clergy,  and  the  other  to  exalt  and  humanize 
the  populace.  With  this  view  he  procured  an  act,  by  which 
the  nobility  were  granted  a  power  of  disposing  of  their 
estates  ;  a  law  infinitely  pleasing  to  the  commons,  and  not 
disagreeable  even  to  the  nobles,  since  they  had  thus  an  im- 
mediate resource  for  supplying  their  taste  for  prodigality, 
and  answering  the  demands  of  their  creditors.  The  blow 
reached  them  in  their  posterity  alone ;  but  they  were  too 
ignorant  to  be  affected  by  such  distant  distresses. 

JO.  He  was  not  remiss  also  in  abridging  the  pope's 
power,  while  at  the  same  time  he  professed  the  utmost  sub- 
mission to  his  commands,  and  the  greatest  respect  for  the 
clergy.  But  while  he  thus  employed  his  power  in  lowering 
the  influence  of  the  nobles  and  clergy,  he  was  using  every 
art  to  extend  the  privileges  of  the  people.  In  fact,  his 
greatest  efforts  were  directed  to  promote  trade  and  commerce, 
because  they  naturally  introduced  a  spirit  of  liberty,  and 
disengaged  them  from  all  dependence,  except  upon  the  laws 
and  the  king.  11.  Before  this  great  era,  all  our  towns 
owed  their  origin  to  some  strong  castle  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, where  some  powerful  lord  generally  resided.  These 
were  at  once  fortresses  for  protection,  and  prisons  for  all 
sorts  of  criminals.  In  this  castle  there  was  usually  a  gar- 
rison armed  and  provided,  depending  entirely  on  the  noble- 
man's support  and  assistance.  12.  To  these  seats  of  pro- 
tection, artificers,  victuallers,  and  shopkeepers  naturally 
resorted,  and  settled  on  some  adjacent  spot,  to  furnish  the 
lord  and  his  attendants  with  all  the  necessaries  they  mighi 


HENRY    VII.  147 

require.  The  farmers  also,  and  the  husbandmen,  in  the 
neighbourhood,  built  their  houses  there,  to  be  protected 
against  the  numerous  gangs  of  robbers,  called  Robertsmen, 
that  hid  themselves  in  the  woods  by  day,  and  infested  the 
open  country  by  night.  13.  Henry  endeavoured  to  bring 
the  towns  from  such  a  neighbourhood,  by  inviting  the  in- 
habitants to  a  more  commercial  situation.  He  attempted  to 
teach  them  frugality,  and  a  just  payment  of  debts,  by  his 
own  example;  and  never  once  omitted  the  rights  of  the 
merchant,  in  all  his  treaties  with  foreign  princes. 

14.  Henry  having  seen  England,  in  a  great  measure, 
civilized  by  his  endeavours,  his  people  pay  their  taxes  with- 
out constraint,  the  nobles  confessing  subordination,  the  laws 
alone  inflicting  punishment,  the  towns  beginning  to  live  in- 
dependent of  the  powerful,  commerce  every  day  increasing, 
the  spirit  of  faction  extinguished,  and  foreigners  either 
fearing  England  or  seeking  its  alliance,  he  began  to  see  the 
approaches  of  his  end,  and  died  of  the  gout  in  his  stomach, 
(A.  D.  1509),  having  lived  fifty-two  years,  and  reigned 
twenty-three. 

The  reign  of  Henry  VII.  produced  so  many  beneficial 
changes  in  the  condition  of  England,  and  the  manners  of  its 
people,  that  many  historians  have  attributed  to  the  monarch 
a  larger  share  of  wisdom  and  virtue  than  is  justly  his  due 
He  was  a  faithless  friend,  a  bitter  enemy,  a  cruel  husband 
to  an  amiable  consort,  an  undutiful  son  to  his  venerable 
mother,  a  careless  father,  and  an  ungenerous  master.  He 
maintained  peace  because  his  avarice  disinclined  him  to  the 
expenses  of  war  ;  he  increased  the  power  of  the  people 
through  jealousy  of  the  nobles,  and  he  checked  the  papal 
encroachments,  because  they  interfered  with  his  taxes.  In- 
ordinate love  of  money  and  unrelenting  hatred  of  the  house 
of  York*  were  his  ruling  passions,  and  the  chief  sources 
of  all  his  vices  and  all  his  troubles. 

*  The  pretensions  of  Perkin  Warbeck,  the  last  who  claimed  the  crown 
in  right  of  the  house  of  York,  will  naturally  occur  to  the  reader's  mind,  and 
some  anxiety  will  be  felt  to  leam  whether  he  was  really  an  unfortunate 
prince  or  a  crafty  impostor.  The  latter  opinion  seems  to  have  prevailed 
principally  on  the  authority  of  Shakspeare  and  lord  Bacon,  certainly  the  two 
greatest  names  in  our  literature,  but  as  certainly  witnesses  wholly  unworthy 
of  credit  in  the  present  instance.  They  wrote  to  please  queen  Elizabeth, 
who  was  naturally  anxious  to  raise  the  character  of  her  grandfather  Henry 
VII.  and  depreciate  that  of  his  rival  Richard  III. 

The  first  point  to  be  ascertained  is  the  fact  of  the  murder  of  the  two 
young  princes,  and  this,  which  would  at  once  have  decided  the  pretensions 
of  Warbeck,  was  so  far  from  being  proved,  that  the  inquisition  taken  and 
published  by  Henry's  command  is  so  full  of  contradictions  and  palpable 


148 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Where  next  did  the  young  adventurer  try  his  fortune  ?  and  what  was 
his  success  ? 

3.  After  his  disappointment  in  Scotland,  what  was  Perkin's  future  scheme 

.of  opposition  ? 

4.  What  title  did  Ferkin  assume? 

5.  What  was  his  conduct  afterwards? 

6.  In  what  manner  did  Henry  treat  him? 

7.  Of  what  nature  was  his  confession  ?  and  what  his  fate  ? 

8.  From  what  cause  proceeded  Henry's  severity  ? 

What  was  his  usual  preface  to  his  treaties  ?  .   , 

9.  What  were  the  two  points  which  Henry  had  always  in  view  ?  and  what 

plan  did  he  pursue  to  attain  them? 

10.  How  did  he  abridge  the  power  of  the  pope? 

11,  12.  Before  this  era,  what  was  the  state  of  the  towns  in  England  ? 
13,  14.  By  what  means  did  Henry  civilize  his  country  ? 

When  did  the  king  die  ?  and  what  was  his  character  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.D. 

Innocent  VIII 1484 

Alexander  VI 1492 

Pius  III 1503 

Julius  III 1503 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Frederick  II 1440 

Maximilian  1 1493 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 
Bajazetll 1481 


Kings  of  France. 

Charles  VIII 1483 

Louis  XII 1498 

King  and  Queen  ofSjiain. 

Ferdinand*  the 
Catholic,  and 
Isabella 1475 

Kings  of  Portugal. 
John 1481 


A.D. 

Emanuel 1495 

King  of  Denmark  and 

Sweden. 
John 1481 

Kings  of  Scotland. 

James  III 1460 

James  IV 1489 


absurdities,  that  Henry  himself  never  made  use  of  it  in  any  of  his  later 
declarations.  Besides,  the  persons  who  were  said  to  have  confessed  the 
murder  were  never  brought  to  trial  for  the  crime. 

The  next  evidence  brought  forward  on  the  side  of  Henry  is  the  confession 
extorted  from  Warbeck  after  he  was  made  prisoner.  Like  the  former,  it 
bears  internal  evidence  of  its  own  falsehood,  though  the  unfortunate  young 
man  is  said  to  have  repeated  it  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

On  the  other  side,  we  have  the  evidence  of  the  dutchess  of  Burgundy, 
who  could  have  had  no  possible  motive  for  joining  in  such  a  foul  conspiracy 
against  the  husband  of  her  own  niece  ;  and  to  say  nothing  of  a  host  of  friends 
of  the  house  of  York,  we  have  the  negative  evidence  of  the  dowager-queen, 
whom  Henry  kept  in  close  confinement  from  the  moment  of  Warbeck's  ap- 
pearance. To  have  brought  him  into  her  presence  would  at  once  have  set 
the  question  at  rest,  for  surely  the  mother  would  have  known  whether  it 
was  her  son  or  not  that  stood  -before  her.  But  Henry  took  especial  care  to 
prevent  such  an  interview,  and  the  inference  is,  that  he  had  just  reason  to 
dread  that  its  consequences  would  be  a  confirmation  of  Warbeck's  preten- 
sions.— T. 

*  Till  this  period,  Spain  had  been  divided  into  three  different  governments, 
v:z.  Leon,  Castile  and  Arragon,  under  distinct  sovereigns;  but  by  the  mar- 
riage of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  heiress  of  Castile  and  Arragon,  the  whole 
was  united  in  one  kingdom. 


henry  vni.  149 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

John  Morton,  Henry  Chicheley,  Thomas  Langton,  archbishops  of  Canter- 
bury. Margaret,  countess  of  Richmond,  mother  of  the  king.  Cardinal 
Morton,  lord  chancellor.  Fox,  bishop  of  Winchester.  Sebastian  Cabot,  a 
great  navigator.    Empson  and  Dudley,  extortionate  ministers  of  the  king. 


CHAPTER  XXIIL 

HENRY  VIII.    . 


Born  1491.    D*ed  January  28, 1547.    Began  to  reign  April  22>  1509. 
Reigned  37|  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Now  Henry  reigns,  to  learning  much  inclin'd, 

But  of  strong  passions,  and  a  savage  mind.  —  Egertoiu 

1.  (A.D.  1509.)  No  prince  ever  came  to  the  throne  with 
a  conjuncture  of  circumstances  more  in  his  favour  than 
Henry  the  Eighth,  who  now,  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his 
age,  undertook  the  government  of  the  kingdom.  As  he 
was  at  the  head  of  a  formidable  army,  fifty  thousand  strong, 
and  as  a  war  with  France  was  the  most  pleasing  to  the  peo- 
ple, he  determined  to  head  his  forces  for  the  conquest  of  that 
kingdom.  2.  But  France  was  not  threatened  by  him  alone  : 
the  Swiss,  in  another  quarter,  with  twenty-five  thousand 
men,  were  preparing  to  invade  it ;  while  Ferdinand  of 
Arragon,  whom  no  treaties  could  bind,  was  only  waiting  for 
a  convenient  opportunity  of  attack  on  his  side  to  advantage. 
Never  was  the  French  monarchy  in  so  distressed  a  situation  ; 
but  the  errors  of  its  assailants  procured  its  safety.  3.  After 
an  ostentatious  but  ineffectual  campaign,  a  truce  was  con- 
cluded between  the  two  kingdoms ;  and  Henry  continued 
to  dissipate,  in  more  peaceful  follies,  those  immense  sums 
which  had  been  amassed  by  his  predecessor  for  very  differ- 
ent purposes. 

4.  In  this  manner,  while  his  pleasures  on  the  one  hand 
engrossed  Henry's  time,  the  preparations  for  repeated  ex- 
peditions exhausted  his  treasures  on  the  other.  ,  As  it  was 
natural  to  suppose  the  old  ministers,  who  were  appointed 
to  direct  him  by  his  father,  would  not  willingly  concur  in 
these  idle  projects,  Henry  had,  for  some  time,  discontinued 
asking  their  advice,  and  chiefly  confided  in  the  counsels  of 

n2 


150  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Thomas,  afterwards  cardinal  Wolsey,  who  seemed  to  second 
him  in  his  favourite  pursuits.  5.  Wolsey  was  a  minister 
who  complied  with  all  his  master's  inclinations,  and  flattered 
him  in  every  scheme  to  which  his  sanguine  and  impetuous 
temper  was  inclined.  He  was  the  son  of  a  private  gentle- 
man, at  Ipswich.  He  was  sent  to  Oxford  so  early,  that  he 
was  a  bachelor  at  fourteen,  and  at  that  time  was  called  the 
boy  bachelor.  He  rose  by  degrees,  upon  quitting  college, 
from  one  preferment  to  another,  till  he  was  made  rector  of 
Lymington  by  the  marquis  of  Dorset,  whose  children  he 
had  instructed.  6.  He  was  soon  recommended  as  chaplain 
to  Henry  the  Seventh  ;  and  being  employed  by  that  mo- 
narch in  a  secret  negotiation  respecting  his  intended  mar- 
riage with  Margaret  of  Savoy,  he  acquitted  himself  to  the 
king's  satisfaction,  and  obtained  the  praise  both  of  diligence 
and  dexterity.  7.  That  prince  having  given  him  a  commis- 
sion to  Maximilian,  who  at  that  time  resided  at  Brussels, 
was  surprised  in  less  than  three  days  to  see  Wolsey  present 
himself  before  him  ;  and,  supposing  he  had  been  delinquent, 
began  to  reprove  his  delay.  Wolsey,  however,  surprised 
him  with  an  assurance  that  he  had  just  returned  from  Brus- 
sels, and  had  successfully  fulfilled  all  his  majesty's  com- 
mands. 8.  His  despatch  on  that  occasion  procured  him  the 
deanery  of  Lincoln ;  and  in  this  situation  it  was  that  he 
was  introduced  by  Fox,  bishop  of  Winchester,  to  the  young 
king's  notice,  in  Hopes  that  he  would  have  talents  to  sup- 
plant the  earl  of  Surry,  who  was  the  favourite  at  that  time  ; 
and  in  this  Fox  was  not  out  in  his  conjectures.  Presently 
after  being  introduced  at  court,  he  was  made  a  privy  coun- 
sellor ;  and  as  such  had  frequent  opportunities  of  ingratia- 
ting himself  with  the  young  king,  as  he  appeared  at  once 
complying,  submissive,  and  enterprising.  9.  Wolsey  used 
every  art  to  suit  himself  to  the  royal  temper;  he  sung, 
laughed,  and  danced  with  every  libertine  of  the  court; 
neither  his  own  years,  which  were  nearly  forty,  nor  his 
character  as  a  clergyman,  were  any  restraint  upon  him,  or 
tended  to  check,  by  ill-timed  severities,  the  gayety  of  his 
companions.  To  such  a  weak  and  vicious  monarch  as 
Henry,  qualities  of  this  nature  were  highly  pleasing;  and 
Wolsey  was  soon  acknowledged  as  the  chief  favourite,  and 
to  him  was  intrusted  the  chief  administration  of  affairs. 
10.  The  people  began  to  see  with  indignation  the  new  fa- 
vourite's mean  condescensions  to  the  king,  and  his  arro- 
gance to  themselves.     They  had  long  regarded  the  vicious 


HENRY  VIII.  151 

haughtiness  and  the  unbecoming  splendour  of  the  clergy 
with  envy  and  detestation  ;  and  Wolsey's  greatness  served 
to  bring  a  new  odium  upon  that  body,  already  too  much  the 
object  of  the  people's  dislike.  His  character,  being  now 
placed  in  a  more  conspicuous  point  of  light,  daily  began  to 
manifest  itself  the  more.  11.  Insatiable  in  his  acquisitions, 
but  still  more  magnificent  in  his  expense ;  of  extensive  ca- 
pacity, but  still  more  unbounded  in  enterprise ;  ambitious 
of  power,  but  still  more  desirous  of  glory  ;  insinuating,  en- 
gaging, persuasive,  and  at  other  times  lofty,  elevated,  and 
commanding ;  haughty  to  his  equals,  but  affable  to  his  de- 
pendants ;  oppressive  to~  the  people,,  but  liberal  to  his 
friends ;  more  generous  than  grateful ;  formed  to  take  the 
ascendant  in  every  intercourse,  but  vain  enough  not  to  cover 
his  real  superiority. 

12.  In  order  to  divert  the  envy  of  the  public  from  his 
inordinate  exaltation,  he  soon  entered  into  a  correspondence 
with  Francis  the  First,  of  France,  who  had  taken  many 
methods  to  work  upon  his  vanity,  and  at  last  succeeded. 
In  consequence  of  that  monarch's  wishes,  Henry  was  per- 
suaded by  the  cardinal  to  an  interview  with  that  prince. 
This  expensive  congress  was  held  between  Guisnes  and 
Andres,  near  Calais,  within  the  English  pale,  in  compliment 
to  Henry  for  crossing  the  sea. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  combination  of  circumstances  favoured  Henry  the  Eighth  on  com- 
ing to  the  throne  ? 

3.  What  was  the  conduct  of  Henry  after  the  truce  with  France  ? 

4.  In  what  counsels  did  Henry  chiefly  confide  ? 

5  Whose  son  was  cardinal  Wolsey  ? 

6  What  disgraceful  circumstance  happened  to  Wolsey? 
7,  8.  What  circumstances  led  to  Wolsey's  advancement? 
9.  What  were  the  arts  used  by  Wolsey  to  please  the  king  ? 

10.  What  were  the  consequences? 

1 1 .  In  what  manner  did  Wolsey's  character  now  manifest  itself? 
12   With  whom  did  he  enter  into  a  correspondence  ? 


SECTION  II. 

At  Guisnes,  where  France  and  England  met 
In  dazzling  panoply  of  gold.  —  Dibdin. 


1.  (A.D.  1520.)  Some  months  before,  a  defiance  had  beer, 
sent  by  t\e  two  kings  to  each  other's  court,  and  through 
all  the  chief  cities  of  Europe,  importing  that  Henry  and 


152  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

Francis,  with  fourteen  aids,  would  be  ready  in  the  plains 
of  Picardy  to  answer  all  comers,  that  were  gentlemen,  a 
tilt  and  tournay.*  Accordingly,  the  monarchs,  now  al 
gorgeously  apparelled,  entered  the  lists  on  horseback 
Francis,  surrounded  with  Henry's  guards,  and  Henry  with 
those  of  Francis.  2.  They  were  both  at  that  time  the 
most  comely  personages  of  their  age,  and  prided  themselves 
on  their  expertness  in  the  military  exercises.  The  ladies 
were  the  judges  in  these  feats  of  chivalry  ;  and  they  put  an 
end  to  the  encounter  whenever  they  thought  proper.  In 
these  martial  exercises,  the  crafty  French  monarch  gratified 
Henry's  vanity  by  allowing  him  to  enjoy  a  petty  pre-eminence 
in  these  pastimes. 

3.  By  this  time  all  the  immense  treasures  of  the  late  king 
were  quite  exhausted  on  empty  pageants,  guilty  pleasures, 
or  vain  treaties  and  expeditions.  But  the  king  relied  on 
Wolsey  alone  for  replenishing  his  coffers  ;  and  no  person 
could  be  fitter  for  the  purpose.  4.  His  first  care  was  to  get 
a  large  sum  of  money  from  the  people,  under  the  title  of  a 
benevolence ;  which,  added  to  its  being  extorted,  had  the 
mortification  of  being  considered  as  a  free  gift.  Henry  little 
minded  the  manner  of  its  being  raised,  provided  he  had  the 
enjoyment  of  it ;  however,  his  minister  met  with  some  oppo- 
sition in  his  attempts  to  levy  these  extorted  contributions. 
In  the  first  place,  having  exacted  a  considerable  sum  from 
the  clergy,  he  next  addressed  himself  to  the  house  of  com- 
mons ;  but  they  only  granted  him  half  the  supplies  he  de- 
manded. 5.  Wolsey  was  at  first  highly  offended  at  their 
parsimony,  and  desired  to  be. heard  in  the  house  ;  but  as 
this  would  have  destroyed  the  very  form  and  constitution  of 
that  august  body,  they  replied,  that  none  could  be  permitted 
to  sit  and  argue  there  but  such  as  had  been  elected  mem- 
bers. This  was  the  first  attempt  made  in  this  reign  to 
render  the  king  master  of  the  debates  in  parliament.  Wolsey 
first  paved  the  way,  and,  unfortunately  for  the  kingdom, 
Henry  too  well  improved  upon  his  plans  soon  after. 

6.  Hitherto  the  administration  of  all  affairs  was  carried 
on  by  Wolsey ;  for  the  king  was  contented  to  lose,  in  the 
embraces  of  his  mistresses,,  all  the  complaints  of  his  sub- 
jects ;  and  the  cardinal  undertook  to  keep  him  ignorant, 
in  order  to  continue  his  uncontrolled  authority.  But  now 
a  period  was  approaching  that  was  to  put  an  end  to  this 

*  This  game  was  instituted  by  Henry  I.  of  Germany,  A.D.  919,  and  abo- 
lished ir.  1.560. 


HENRY  VIII.  153 

minister's  exorbitant  power.  One  of  the  most  extraordi- 
nary and  important  revolutions  that  ever  employed  the 
attention  of  man  was  now  ripe  for  execution.  This  was 
no  less  a  change  than  the  reformation.  7.  The  vices  and 
impositions  of  the  church  of  Rome  were  now  almost  come 
to  a  head  ;  and  the  increase  of  arts  and  learning  among  the 
laity,  propagated  by  means  of  printing,  which  had  been 
lately  invented,  began  to  make  them  resist  that  power, 
which  was  originally  founded  on  deceit.  A.D.  1519.  Lee 
the  Tenth  was  at  that  time  pope,  and  eagerly  employed  in 
building  the  church  of  St.  .Peter,  at  Rome.  In  order  tr 
procure  money  for  carrying  on  that  expensive  undertaking 
he  gave  a  commission  for  selling  indulgences,  a  practic. 
that  had  often  been  tried  before.  8.  These  were  to  free 
the  purchaser  from  the  pains  of  purgatory  ;  and  they  would 
serve  even  for  one's  friends,  if  purchased  with  that  inten* 
tion.  The  Augustine  friars*  had  usually  been  employed  in 
Saxony  to  preach  the  indulgences,  and  from  this  trust  had 
derived  both  profit  and  consideration ;  but  the  pope's 
minister,  supposing  that  they  had  found  out  illicit  methods 
of  secreting  the  money,  transferred  this  lucrative  employ- 
ment from  them  to  the  Dominicans/!"  9.  Martin  Luther, 
professor  in  the  university  of  Wirtemberg,  was  an  Augft- 
tine  monk,  and  one  of  those  who  resenteci  this  transfer  of 
the  sale  of  indulgences  from  one  order  to  another.  He 
began  to  show  his  indignation  by  preaching  against  their 
efficacy;  and  being  naturally  of  a  fiery  temper,  and  pro- 
voked by  opposition,  he  inveighed  against  the  authority  of 
the  pope  himself.  Being  driven  hard  by  his  adversaries, 
still  as  he  enlarged  his  reading,  in  order  to  support  his 
tenets,  he  discovered  some  new  abuse  or  error  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  10.  In  this  dispute,  it  was  the  fate  of 
Henry  to  be  champion  on  both  sides.  His  father,  who 
had  given  him  the  education  of  a  scholar,  permitted  him  to 
be  instructed  in  school  divinity,  which  then  was  the  princi- 
pal object  of  learned  inquiry.  Henry,  therefore,  willing  to 
convince  the  world  of  his  abilities  in  that  science,  obtained 
the  pope's  permission  to  read  the  works  of  Luther,  which 

*  They  observed  the  rule  of  St.  Augustine,  prescribed  them  by  pope  Alex- 
ander IV.  in  1256.  This  rule  was,  to  have  all  things  in  common:  the  rich, 
who  entered  among  them,  were  compelled  to  sell  their  possessions,  and  give 
them  to  the  poor. 

t  In  some  places  called  jacobins,  and  in  others  predicants,  or  preaching 
friars ;  they  were  obliged  to  take  a  vow  of  absolute  poverty,  and  to  abandon 
entirely  their  revenues  and  possessions. 


154  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

had  been  forbidden  under  pain  of  excommunication.  1 1 .  In 
consequence  of  this,  the  king  defended  the  seven  sacraments, 
out  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas;  and  showed  some  dexterity 
in  this  science,  though  it  is  thought  that  Wolsey  had  the 
chief  hand  in  directing  him.  A  book  being  thus  finished  in 
haste,  it  was  sent  to  Rome  for  the  pope's  approbation,  which 
it  was  natural  to  suppose  would  not  be  withheld.  The 
pontiff,  ravished  with  its  eloquence  and  depth,  compared 
it  to  the  labours  of  St.  Jerome,  or  St.  Augustine,  and  re- 
warded the  author  of  it  with  the  title  of  defender  of  the 
faith  ;  little  imagining  that  Henry  was  soon  to  be  one  the 
most  terrible  enemies  that  ever  the  church  of  Rome  had  to 
contend  with. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1,  2.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  congress  that  took  place  in  the  plains  of 
Picardy. 

3.  In  what  manner  were  the  late  king's  treasures  exhausted  ? 

4.  How  were  the  king's  coffers  replenished  ? 

5.  What  was  the  first  attempt  made  to  render  the  king  master  of  the  de- 

bates in  parliament  ? 

6.  Why  did  Wolsey  endeavour  to  keep  the  king  ignorant  of  the  complaints 

of  Iiis  subjects? 

7.  What  practices  led  to  the  reformation  ? 

^  In  what  manner  did  Luther  oppose  the  transfer  of  the  sale  of  induJ 

gences  ? 
10, 11.  What  was  the  king's  conduct  on  this  occasion?  and  what  was  his 

reward  ? 


SECTION  III. 

When,  thunderstruck,  that  eagle  Wolsey  fell.  —  Young. 

1.  (A.D.  1527.)  Henry  had  now  been  eighteen  years 
married  to  Catharine  of  Arragon,  who  had  been  brought 
over  from  Spain,  and  married  to  his  eldest  brother,  who 
died  a  few  months  after.  But,  notwithstanding  the  submis- 
sive deference  paid  for  the  indulgence  of  the  church,  Hen- 
ry's marriage  with  this  princess  did  not  pass  without  scru- 
ple and  hesitation,  both  on  his  own  side  and  on  that  of  the 
people.  2.  However,  his  scruples  were  carried  forward, 
though  perhaps  not  at  first  excited  by  a  motive  much  more 
powerful  than  the  tacit  suggestion  of  his  conscience.  It 
happened  that  among  the  maids  of  honour  then  attending 
the  queen,  there  was  one  Anna  Bullen,  the  daughter  of  sir 
Thomas  Bullen,  a  gentleman  of  distinction,  and  related  to 
most  of  the  nobility,     He  had  been  employed  by  the  king 


HENRY    VIII.  155 

in  several  embassies,  and  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  the 
duke  of  Norfolk.  3.  The  beauty  of  Anna  surpassed  what- 
ever had  hitherto  appeared  at  this  voluptuous  court ;  and 
her  education,  which  she  had  received  at  Paris  setoff 
her  personal  charms.  Henry,  who  had  never  learned 
the  art  of  restraining  any  passion  that  he  desired  to  gra- 
tify, saw  and  loved  her ;  but,  of  course,  could  not  marry 
her  without  previously  divorcing  his  wife,  queen  Catha- 
rine of  Arragon.  4.  This  obstacle,  therefore,  he  hardly 
undertook  to  remove ;  and  as  his  own  queen  was  now 
become  hateful  to  him,  in  order  to  procure  a  divorce, 
he  alleged  that  his  conscience  rebuked  him  for  having 
so  long  been  married  to  the  wife  of  his  brother.  In 
this  pretended  perplexity,  therefore,  he  applied  to  Cle 
ment  the  Seventh,  who  owed  him  many  obligations,  desir- 
ing him  to  dissolve  the  bull  of  the  former  pope,  which  had 
given  him  permission  to  marry  Catharine  ;  and  to  declare 
that  it  was  not  in  the  power,  even  of  the  holy  see,  to  dis- 
pense with  the  law  so  strictly  enjoined  in  Scripture.  5. 
The  unfortunate  pope,  unwilling  to  grant,  yet  afraid  to  re- 
fuse, continued  to  promise,  recant,  dispute,  and  temporize ; 
hoping  that  the  king's  passion  would  never  hold  out  during 
the  tedious  course  of  an  ecclesiastical  controversy.  In  this 
he  was  entirely  mistaken.  Henry  had  been  long  taught  to 
dispute  as  well  as  he,  and  quickly  found  or  wrested  many 
texts  in  Scripture  to  favour  his  opinions,  or  his  passions. 
6.  During  the  course  of  a  long  perplexing  negotiation,  on 
the  issue  of  which  Henry's  happiness  seemed  to  depend,  he 
had  at  first  expected  to  find  in  his  favourite  Wolsey  a  warm 
defender  and  a  steady  adherent ;  but  in  this  he  found  him- 
self mistaken.  Wolsey  seemed  to  be  in  pretty  much  the 
same  dilemma  with  the  pope.  On  the  one  hand,  he  was 
to  please  his  master  the  king,  from  whom  he  had  received 
a  thousand  marks  of  favour ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  he 
feared  to  disoblige  the  pope,  whose  servant  he  more  imme- 
diately was,  and  who,  besides,  had  power  to  punish  his  dis- 
obedience. 7.  He,  therefore,  resolved  to  continue  neuter 
in  the  controversy  ;  and,  though  of  all  men  the  most  haughty, 
he  gave  way  on  this  occasion  to  Campeggio,  the  pope's  nun- 
cio, in  all  things,  pretending  a  deference  to  his  skrll  in  canon 
law.  Wolsey's  scheme  of  temporizing  was  highly  displeas- 
ing to  the  king,  but  for  a  while  he  endeavoured  to  stifle  his 
resentment,  until  he  could  act  with  more  fatal  certainty. 


156  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

He  for  some  time  looked  out  for  a  man  of  equal  abilities  and 
less  art ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  accident  threw  in  his 
way  one  Thomas  Cranmer,  of  greater  talents,  and  probably 
of  more  integrity. 

8.  Thus  finding  himself  provided  with  a  person  who 
could  supply  Wolsey's  place,  he  appeared  less  reserved  in 
his  resentments  against  that  prelate.  The  attorney-general 
was  ordered  to  prepare  a  bill  of  indictment  against  him ;  and 
he  was  soon  after  commanded  to  resign  the  great  seal. 
Crimes  are  easily  found  out  against  a  favourite  in  disgrace, 
and  the  courtiers  did  not  fail  to  increase  the  catalogue  of  his 
errors.  He  was  ordered  to  depart  from  York-place  palace  ; 
and  all  his  furniture  and  plate  were  converted  to  the  king's 
use.  9.  The  inventory  of  his  goods  being  taken,  they  were 
found  to  exceed  even  the  most  extravagant  surmises.  He 
was  soon  after  arrested  by  the  earl  of  Northumberland,  at 
the  king's  command,  for  high-treason,  and  preparations  were 
made  for  conducting  him  from  York,  where  he  then  resided, 
to  London,  in  order  to  take  his  trial.  10.  He  at  first  refused 
to  comply  with  the  requisition,  as  being  a  cardinal ;  but  find- 
ing the  earl  bent  on  performing  his  commission,  he  com- 
plied, and  set  out  by  easy  journeys  to  London,  to  appear  as 
a  criminal,  where  he  had  acted  as  a  king.  In  his  way  he 
stayed  a  fortnight  at  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury's  ;  where  one 
day,  at  dinner,  he  was  taken  ill,  not  without  violent  suspi- 
cions of  having  poisoned  himself.  Being  brought  forward 
from  thence,  he  with  much  difficulty  reached  Leicester-ab- 
bey ;  where  the  monks  coming  out  to  meet  him,  he  said, 
"  Father  Abbot,  I  am  come  to  lay  my  bones  among  you  :" 
and  immediately  ordered  his  bed  to  be  prepared.  11.  As 
his  disorder  increased,  an  officer  being  placed  near  him,  at 
once  to  guard  and  attend  him,  he  spoke  to  him  alittle  before 
he  expired  to  this  effect  :  "  Had  I  but  served  God  as  dili- 
gently as  I  have  served  the  king,  he  would  not  have  given 
me  over  in  my  gray  hairs.  But  this  is  the  just  reward  1 
must  receive  for  my  indulgent  pains  and  study  ;  not  regard- 
ing my  service  to  God,  but  only  to  my  prince."  He  died 
soon  after,  in  all  the  pangs  of  remorse,  and  left  a  life  which 
had  all  along  been  rendered  turbid  by  ambition,  and  wretch- 
ed by  mean  assiduities. 

*  12.  The  tie  that  held  Henry  to  the  church  being  thus 
broken,^ie  resolved  to  keep  no  farther  measures  with  the 
pontiff.      He,   therefore,   privately  married   Anna   Bullen, 


HENRY    VIII.  157 


Death  of  Queen  Catharine  of  Arragon. 

whom  he  had  created  marchioness  of  Pembroke  ;  the  duke 
of  Norfolk,  uncle  to  the  new  queen,  her  father,  and  Dr. 
Cranmer,  being  present  at  the  ceremony.  Soon  after,  cir- 
cumstances compelled  him  publicly  to  own  his  marriage ; 
and,  to  cover  his  disobedience  to  the  pope  with  an  appear- 
ance of  triumph,  he  passed  with  his  beautiful  bride  through 
London  with  a  magnificence  greater  than  had  ever  been 
known  before.  But  though  Henry  had  thus  seceded  from 
the  church,  yet  he  had  not  addicted  himself  to  the  system 
of  the  reformers. 

13.  As  the  monks  had  all  along  shown  him  the  greatest 
resistance,  he  resolved  at  once  to  deprive  them  of  future 
power  to  injure  him.  He  accordingly  empowered  Thomas 
Cromwell,  who  was  now  made  secretary  of  state,  to  send 
commissioners  into  the  several  counties  of  England  to  inspect 
the  monasteries,  and  to  report  with  rigorous  exactness  the 
conduct  and  deportment  of  such  as  were  resident  there. 
This  employment  was  readily  undertaken  by  some  creatures 
of  the  court,  namely,  Layton,  London,  Price,  Gage,  Peter, 
and  Bellasis,  who  are  said  to  have  discovered  monstrous 
disorders  in  many  of  the  religious  houses.  The  accusations, 
whether  true  or  false,  were  urged  with  great  clamour  against 
these  communities,  and  a  general  horror  was  excited  in  the 
nation  against  them. 

14.  Queen  Catharine  of  Arragon,  Henry's  first  wife,  lived  in 
retirement  after  her  divorce  until  her  decease.  She  was  one 
of  the  brightest  characters  in  English  history.  Her  charac- 
ter and  death  are  admirably  depicted  by  Shakspeare. 

O 


158  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  was  Henry's  first  wife  ? 

2.  Whom  did  he  afterwards  wish  to  obtain? 

3.  What  description  is  given  of  Anna  Bullen  ? 

4.  What  pretence  did  Henry  allege  to  procure  a  divorce  * 

5.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  pope  ? 

6.  What  were  the  circumstances  which  put  an  end  to  Wolsey's  power  ? 

8.  In  what  manner  did  the  king  act  towards  him  ? 

9.  What  account  is  given  of  the  inventory  of  his  goods  ? 

10.  What  circumstances  preceded  the  death  of  Wolsey  ? 

11.  Relate  Wolsey's  expression  immediately  before  his  death. 

12.  What  followed  Wolsey's  death? 

13.  What  commission  did  the  king  give  to  Cromwell  ? 

14.  What  is  said  of  queen  Catharine  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

Tyrannic  cruelty,  voluptuous  pride, 

Insatiable  licentiousness  and  guilt. 
So  share  this  monarch,  we  can  ne'er  decide 

On  what  one  vice  his  ruling  wish  was  built. —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1536.)  A  new  visitation  of  the  religious  houses 
was  soon  after  appointed,  and  fresh  crimes  were  also  pro- 
duced ;  so  that  his  severities  were  conducted  with  such  seem- 
ing justice  and  success,  that  in  less  than  two  years  he  became 
possessed  of  all  the  monastic  revenues.  These,  on  the  whole, 
amounted  to  six  hundred  and  forty-five,  of  which  twenty-eight 
had  abbots  who  enjoyed  a  seat  in  parliament.  Ninety  colleges 
were  demolished  in  several  counties ;  two  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy-four  chantries  and  free  chapels,  and  a  hun- 
dred and  ten  hospitals.  2.  The  whole  revenue  of  these  esta- 
blishments amounted  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  thousand 
pounds,  which  was  about  a  twentieth  part  of  the  national 
income.  But  as  great  murmurs  were  excited  by  some  on 
this  occasion,  Henry  took  care  that  all  those  who  could  be 
useful  to  him,  or  even  dangerous  in  case  of  opposition, 
should  be  sharers  in  the  spoil.  He  either  made  a  gift  of  the 
revenues  of  the  convents  to  his  principal  courtiers,  or  sold 
them  at  low  prices,  or  exchanged  them  for  other  lands  on 
very  disadvantageous  terms. 

3.  Henry's  opinions  were  at  length  delivered  in  a  law, 
which,  from  its  horrid  consequences,  was  afterwards  termed 
the  Bloody  Statute ;  by  which  it  was  ordained,  that  who- 
ever, by  word  or  writing,  denied  transubstantiation,  whoever 
maintained  that  the  communion  in  both  kinds  was  necessary, 
whoever  asserted  that  it  was  lawful  for  priests  to  marry, 
whoever  alleged  that  vows  of  chastity  might  be  broken, 
whoever  maintained  that  private  masses  were  unprofitable, 
or  that  auricular  confession  was  unnecessary,  should  be  found 


HENRY    VIII.  159 

guilty  of  heresy,  and  burned  or  hanged  as  the  court  should 
determine.  4.  As  the  people  were  at  that  time  chiefly  com- 
posed of  those  who  followed  the  opinions  of  Luther,  and 
such  as  still  adhered  to  the  pope,  this  statute,  with  Henry?s 
former  decrees,  in  some  measure  included  both,  and  opened 
a  field  for  persecution,  which  soon  after  produced  its  dread- 
ful harvests.  Bainham  and  Bilney  were  burned  for  their 
opposition  to  popery.  Sir  Thomas  More  and  bishop  Fisher 
were  beheaded  for  denying  the  king's  supremacy. 

5.  These  severities,  however,  were  preceded  by  one  of  a 
different  nature,  ariting  neither  from  religious  nor  political 
causes,  but  merely  from  a  tyrannical  caprice.  Anna  Bullen, 
his  queen,  had  always  been  favourable  to  the  reformation, 
and  consequently  had  many  enemies  on  that  account,  who 
only  waited  some  fit  occasion  to  destroy  her  credit  with  the 
king,  and  that  occasion  presented  itself  but  too  soon.  6. 
The  king's  passion  was  by  this  time  abated,  and  he  became 
as  desirous  to  divorce  the  queen  as  he  had  formerly  been 
to  marry  her.  He  was  now  fallen  in  love,  if  we  may  so 
prostitute  the  expression,  with  another,  and  was  desirous 
to  marry  Jane  Seymour,  who  had  for  some  time  been  maid 
of  honour  to  the  queen. 

7.  In  the  mean  time  her  enemies  were  not  remiss  in  rais- 
ing an  accusation  against  her.  The  duke  of  Norfolk,  from 
his  attachment  to  the  old  religion,  took  care  to  produce  seve- 
ral witnesses,  accusing  her  of  impropriety  with  some  of 
the  meaner  servants  of  the  court.  Four  persons  were  par- 
ticularly pointed  out  as  her  favourites ;  Henry  Norris, 
groom  of  the  stool ;  Weston  and  Breton,  gentlemen  of  the 
king's  bedchamber;  together  with  Mark  Smeaton,  a  musi- 
cian. 8.  Accordingly,  soon  after,  Norris,  Weston,  Breton, 
and  Smeaton  were  tried  in  Westminster-hall,  when  Smeaton 
was  prevailed  upon,  by  the  promise  of  a  pardon,  to  confess 
a  criminal  correspondence  with  the  queen  ;  but  he  was  never 
confronted  with  her  he  accused  ;  and  his  execution  with  the 
rest,  shortly  after,  served  to  acquit  her  of  the  charge.  9. 
Norris,  who  had  been  much  in  the  king's  favour,  had  an 
offer  of  his  life  if  he  would  confess  his  crime,  and  accuse 
his  mistress;  but  he  rejected  the  proposal  with  contempt, 
and  died  professing  her  innocence  and  his  own.  The  queen 
and  her  brother  were  tried  by  a  jury  of  peers  ;  but  upon 
what  proof  or  pretence  the  crime  was  urged  against  them 
is  unknown:  the  chief  evidence,  it  is  said,  amounted  to 
no  more  than  that  Rochford  had  been  seen  to  lean  on  her 


160  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

bed  before  some  company.  10.  Part  of  the  charge  against 
her  was,  that  she  had  declared  to  her  attendants  that  the  king 
never  had  her  heart:  which  was  considered  as  a  slander 
upon  the  throne,  and  strained  into  a  breach  of  law  by  statute, 
by  which  it  was  declared  criminal  to  throw  any  slander  upon 
the  king,  queen,  or  their  issue.  The  unhappy  queen,  though 
unassisted  by  counsel,  defended  herself  with  great  judgment 
and  presence  of  mind ;  and  the  spectators  could  not  forbear 
declaring  her  entirely  innocent.  11.  She  answered  distinctly 
to  all  the  charges  brought  against  her :  but  the  king's  authority 
was  not  to  be  controlled^  she  was  declare*!  guilty,  and  her  sen- 
tence ran  that  she  should  be  burned  or  beheaded  at  the  king's 
pleasure.  On  the  morning  of  her  execution,  her  sentence  being 
mitigated  into  beheading,  she  sent  for  Kingstone,  the  keeper 
of  the  Tower,  to  whom,  upon  entering  the  prison,  she  said, 
"  Mr.  Kingstone,  I  hear  I  am  not  to  die  till  noon,  and  I  am 
sorry  for  it ;  for  I  thought  to  be  dead  before  this  time,  and 
free  from  a  life  of  pain."  12.  The  keeper  attempting  to 
comfort  her  by  assuring  her  the  pain  would  be  very  little, 
she  replied,  "  I  have  heard  the  executioner  is  very  expert; 
and  (clasping  her  neck  with  her  hands,  laughing)  I  have  but 
a  little  neck."  When  brought  to  the  scaffold,  from  a  con- 
sideration of  her  child  Elizabeth's  welfare,  she  would  not 
inflame  the  minds  of  the  spectators  against  her  prosecutors, 
but  contented  herself  with  saying,  that  "  she  was  come  to 
die  as  she  was  sentenced  by  the  law."  13.  She  would  ac- 
cuse none,  nor  say  any  thing  of  the  ground  upon  which  she 
was  judged ;  she  prayed  heartily  for  the  king,  and  called 
him  "  a  most  merciful  and  gentle  prince  :  that  he  had  always 
been  to  her  a  good  and  gracious  sovereign  ;  and  if  that  any 
one  should  think  proper  to  canvass  her  cause,  she  desired 
him  to  judge  the  best."  She  was  beheaded  by  the  execu- 
tioner of  Calais,  who  was  brought  over,  as  much  more  expert 
than  any  in  England.  14.  The  very  next  day  after  her 
execution  he  married  the  lady  Jane  Seymour,  his  cruel  heart 
being  no  way  softened  by  the  wretched  fate  of  one  that  had 
been  so  lately  the  object  of  his  warmest  affections.  He  also 
ordered  his  parliament  to  give  him  a  divorce  between  her 
sentence  and  execution,  and  thus  he  endeavoured  to  render 
Elizabeth,  the  only  child  he  had  by  her,  illegitimate,  as  he 
had  in  the  same  manner,  formerly,  Mary,  his  only  child  by 
queen  Catharine. 


HENRY   VIII*  161 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  monastic  revenues  now  came  into  the  king's  possession? 

2.  What  was  the  amount  of  these  revenues  ? 

3.  What  were  the  opinions  of  Henry  ? 

4.  What  were  the  horrid  consequences  ? 

5.  What  tyrannical  act  preceded  these  severities  ? 
7.  Relate  the  charges  alleged  against  Anna  Bullen. 

9.  What  is  said  to  have  been  the  chief  evidence  against  her  ? 

10.  What  strange  charge  was  brought  against  her? 

11.  What  was  her  behaviour  on  the  trial  ? 
12,13.  What  at  her  execution  ? 

14.  In  what  manner  did  the  king  act  after  her  execution  ? 


.     SECTION  V. 

Superior  Cranmer,  in  a  crowd  alone, 

Dares  friendship  with  the  virtuous  fallen  own.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1537.)  In  the  midst  of  these  commotions  the 
fires  of  Smithfield  were  seen  to  blaze  with  unusual  fierce- 
ness. Those  who  adhered  to  the  pope,  or  those  who  fol- 
lowed the  doctrines  of  Luther,  were  equally  the  objects  of 
royal  vengeance  and  ecclesiastical  persecution.  From  the 
multiplied  alterations  which  were  made  in  the  national  sys- 
tems of  belief,  mostly  drawn  up  by  Henry  himself,  few 
knew  what  to  think,  or  what  to  profess.  2.  They  were 
ready  enough  to  follow  his  doctrines,  how  inconsistent  or 
contradictory  soever ;  but,  as  he  was  continually  changing 
them  himself,  they  could  hardly  pursue  so  fast  as  he  advanceu 
before  them.  Thomas  Cromwell,  raised  by  the  king's  ca- 
price from  being  a  blacksmith's  son  to  be  a  royal  favourite 
(for  tyrants  ever  raise  their  favourites  from  the  lowest  of  the 
people),  together  with  Cranmer,  now  become  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  were  both  seen  to  favour  the  reformation  with 
all  their  endeavours.  3.  On  the  other  hand,  Gardiner, 
bishop  of  Winchester,  together  with  the  duke  of  Norfolk, 
were  for  leading  the  king  back  to  his  original  faith.  In 
fact,  Henry  submitted  to  neither ;  his  pride  had  long  been 
so  inflamed  by  flattery,  that  he  thought  himself  entitled  to 
regulate,  by  his  own  single  opinion,  the  religious  faith  of 
the  whole  nation. 

4.  Soon  after,  no  less  than  five  hundred  persons  were  im- 
prisoned for  contradicting  the  opinions  delivered  in  the 
Bloody  Statute :  and  received  protection  only  from  the  lenity 
of  Cromwell.  Lambert,  a  schoolmaster,  and  doctor  Barnes, 
who  had  been  instrumental  in  Lambert's  execution,  felt  the 

02 


162  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND- 

severity  of  the  persecuting  spirit,  and  by  a  bill  in  parliament, 
without  any  trial,  were  condemned  to  the  flames,  discussing 
theological  questions  at  the  very  stake.  With  Barnes  were 
executed  one  Gerrard,  and  Jerome,  for  the  same  opinions. 
Three  catholics  also,  whose  names  were  Abel,  Featherstone, 
and  Powel,  were  dragged  upon  the  same  hurdles  to  execu- 
tion ;  and  who  declared  that  the  most  grievous  part  of  their 
punishment  was  the  being  coupled  with  such  heretical  mis- 
creants as  were  united  in  the  same  calamity. 

5.  During  these  horrid  transactions,  Henry  was  resolved 
to  take  another  queen,  Jane  Seymour  having  died ;  and 
after  some  negotiations  upon  the  continent,  he  contract- 
ed marriage  with  Anne  of  Cleves,  his'  aim  being,  by 
her  means,  to  fortify  his  alliance  with  the  princes  of  Ger- 
many. 6.  His  aversion,  however,  to  the  queen  secretly 
increased  every  day  ;  and  he  at  length  resolved  to  get  rid  of 
her  and  his  prime  minister  together.  He  had  a  strong  cause 
of  dislike  to  him  for  his  late  unpropitious  alliance  ;  and  a 
new  motive  was  soon  added  for  increasing  his  displeasure. 
Henry  had  fixed  his  affection  on  Catharine  Howard,  niece 
to  the  duke  of  Norfolk ;  and  the  only  method  of  gratifying 
this  new  passion  was,  as  in  the  former  cases,  discarding  the 
present  queen  to  make  room  for  a  new  one.  The  duke  of 
Norfolk  had  long  been  Cromwell's  mortal  enemy,  and  eagerly 
embraced  this  opportunity  to  destroy  a  man  he  considered  as 
his  rival.  7.  He  therefore,  made  use  of  all  his  niece's  arts 
to  ruin  the  favourite ;  and  when  this  project  was  ripe  for 
execution,  he  obtained  a  commission  from  the  king  to  arrest 
Cromwell  for  high-treason.  His  disgrace  was  no  sooner 
known,  than  all  his  friends  forsook  him,  except  Cranmer, 
who  wrote  such  a  letter  to  Henry  in  his  behalf,  as  no  other 
man  in  the  kingdom  would  have  presumed  to  offer.  How- 
ever, he  was  accused  in  parliament  of  heresy  and  treason  ; 
and  without  even  being  heard  in  his  own  defence,  condemn- 
ed to  suffer  the  pains  of  death,  as  the  king  should  think 
proper  to  direct.  8.  When  he  was  brought  to  the  scaffold, 
his  regard  for  his  son  hindered  him  from  expatiating  upon 
his  own  innocence.  He  thanked  God  for  bringing  him  to 
death  for  his  transgressions  ;  confessed  he  had  often  been 
seduced,  but  that  he  now  died  in  the  catholic  faith. 

But  the  measure  of  Henry's  severities  was  not  yet  filled 
up.  He  had  thought  himself  very  happy  in  his  new  mar- 
riage. He  was  so  captivated  with  the  queen's  accomplish- 
ments, that  he  gave  public  thanks  for  his  felicity,  and  desired 


HENRY    VIII.  163 

his  confessor  to  join  with  him  in  the  sams  thanksgiving. 
9.  This  joy,  however,  was  of  very  short  duration.  While  the 
king  was  at  York,  upon  an  intended  conference  with  the 
king  of  Scotland,  a  man  of  the  name  of  Lassels  waited  upon 
Cranmer  at  London ;  and,  from  the  information  of  his  sis- 
ter, who  had  been  servant  to  the  dutchess-dowager  of  Nor- 
folk, he  gave  a  very  surprising  account  of  the  queen's  crimi- 
nality. When  the  queen  was  first  examined  relative  to 
her  crime,  she  denied  the  charge  ;  but  afterwards,  finding 
that  her  accomplices  were  her  accusers,  she  confessed  her 
crime  in  part,  but  denied  some  of  the  circumstances.  10. 
Three  maids  of  honour,  who  were  admitted  to  her  secrets, 
still  further  alleged  her  guilt;  and  some  of  them  made 
such  confessions  as  tended  to  augment  the  nature  of  her 
crime.  The  servile  parliament*  upon  being  informed  of 
the  queen's  crime  and  confession,  quickly  found  her  guilty, 
and  petitioned  the  king  that  she  might  be  punished  with 
death  ;  that  the  same  penalty  might  be  inflicted  on  the 
lady  Rochford,  her  friend  and  confidant ;  and  that  her 
grandmother,  the  dutchess-dowager  of  Norfolk,  together 
with  her  father,  mother,  and  nine  others,  men  and  women, 
as  having  been  privy  to  the  queen's  irregularities,  should 
participate  in  her  punishment.  With  this  petition  the 
king  was  most  graciously  pleased  to  agree  ;  they  were 
condemned  to  death  by  an  act  of  attainder,  which,  at  the 
same  time,  made  it  capital  for  all  persons  to  conceal  their 
knowledge  of  the  criminality  of  any  future  queen.  11. 
The  queen  was  beheaded  on  Tower-hill,  together  with  the 
lady  Rochford,  who  found  no  great  degree  of  compassion, 
as  she  had  herself  before  tampered  in  blood. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1  What  cruel  persecution  followed  the  multiplied  alterations  in  the  nationa. 
belief? 

2.  Who  favoured  the  reformation  ? 

3.  Who  endeavoured  to  lead  the  king  back  to  popery  ? 

5.  Upon  whom  did  Henry  fix  his  affections  ? 

6.  What  caused  Henry's  dislike  to  Cromwell  ?  and  what  was  the  conse 

quence  ? 


164  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

9.  In  what  manner  was  the  king  informed  of  the  criminality  of  his 
queen  ? 

10.  Who  were  the  witnesses  that  alleged  her  guilt  ? 

11.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  queen  ? 


SECTION  VI. 

I  would  not  have  Buch  a  heart  in  ray  bosom 
For  the  dignity  of  the  whole  body.—  Shakspcare. 

1.  (A.  D.  1543.)  In  about  a  year  after  the  death  of  the 
last  queen,  Henry  once  more  changed  his  condition,  by 
marrying  his  sixth  and  last  wife,  Catherine  Parr,  who  was 
a  widow.  She  was  the  widow  of  the  late  lord  Latimer; 
and  was  considered  as  a  woman  of  discretion  and  virtue. 
Slie  had  already  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  and  managed 
this  capricious  tyrant's  temper  with  prudence  and  success. 

2.  Still,  however,  the  king's  severity  to  his  subjects  con- 
tinued as  fierce  as  ever.  For  some  time  he  had  been  incom- 
moded by  an  ulcer  in  his  leg ;  the  pain  of  which,  added  to 
his  corpulence  and  other  infirmities,  increased  his  natural 
irascibility  to  such  a  degree,  that  scarcely  any  of  his  domes- 
tics approached  him  without  terror.  It  was  not  to  be  ex- 
pected, therefore,  that  any  who  differed  from  him  in  opinion 
should,  at  this  time  particularly,  hope  for  pardon. 

3.  Though  his  health  was  declining  apace,  yet  his  im- 
placable cruelties  were  not  the  less  frequent.  His  resentment 
was  diffused  indiscriminately  to  all ;  at  one  time  a  protes- 
tant,  and  at  another  a  catholic,  were  the  objects  of  his  se- 
verity. The  duke  of  Norfolk,  and  his  son,  the  earl  of 
Surry,  were  the  last  that  felt  the  injustice  of  the  tyrant's 
groundless  suspicions.  4.  The  duke  was  a  nobleman  who 
had  served  the  king  with  talent  and  fidelity ;  his  son  was 
a  young  man  of  the  most  promising  hopes,  who  excelled  in 
every  accomplishment  that  became  a  scholar,  a  courtier, 
and  a  soldier.  He  excelled  in  all  the  military  exercises 
which  were  then  in  request ;  he  encouraged  the  fine  arts 
by  his  practice  and  example  ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that 
he  was  the  first  who  brought  our  language,  in  his  poetical 
pieces,  to  any  degree  of  refinement.  5.  He  celebrated 
the  fair  Geraldine  in  all  his  sonnets,  and  maintained  hei 
superior  beauty  in  all  places  of  public  contention.     These 


HENRY    VIII.  165 

qualifications,  however,  were  no  safeguard  to  him  against 
Henry's  suspicions ;  he  had  dropped  some  expressions  of 
resentment  against  the  king's  ministers,  upon  being  dis- 
placed from  the  government  of  Boulogne ;  and  the  whole 
family  was.  become  obnoxious  from  the  late  conduct 
of  Catharine  Howard,  the  queen,  who  was  executed.  6. 
From  these  motives,  therefore,  private  orders  were  given 
to  arrest  father  and  son ;  and  accordingly  they  were  ar- 
rested both  on  the  same  day,  and  confined  in  the  Tower. 
Surry  being  a  commoner,  his  trial  was  the  more  expe- 
ditious :  and  as  to  proofs,  there  were  many  informers  base 
enough  to  betray  the  intimacies  of  private  confidence,  and 
air  the  connexions  of  blood.  The  dutchess-dowager  of 
Richmond,  Surry's  own  sister,  enlisted  herself  among  the 
number  of  his  accusers ;  and  sir  Richard  Southwell  also, 
his  most  intimate  friend,  charged  him  with  infidelity  to 
the  king.  7.  It  would  seem  that,  at  this  dreary  period, 
there  was  neither  faith  nor  honour  to  be  found  in  all  the 
nation.  Surry  denied  the  charge,  and  challenged  his'  ac- 
cuser to  single  combat.  This  favour  was  .refused  him ;  and 
it  was  alleged  that  he  had  quartered  the  arms  of  Edward 
the  Confessor  on  his  escutcheon,  which  alone  was  sufficient 
to  convict  him  of  aspiring  to  the  crown.  To  this  he  could 
make  no  reply ;  and  indeed  any  answer  would  have  been 
needless;  for  neither  parliaments  nor  juries,  during  this 
reign,  seemed  to  be  guided  by  any  other  proofs  but  the  will 
of  the  crown.  8.  This  young  nobleman  was,  therefore, 
condemned  for  high-treason,  notwithstanding  his  eloquent 
and  spirited  defence  ;  and  the  sentence  was  soon  after  exe- 
cuted upon  him  on  Tower-hill.  In  the  mean  time  the  duke 
endeavoured  to  mollify  the  king  by  letters  of  submission ; 
but  the  monster's  hard  heart  was  rarely  subject  to  tender 
impressions.  9.  The  parliament  meeting  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  January  (.A.D.  1546),  a  bill  of  attainder  was  found 
against  the  duke  of  Norfolk ;  as  it  was  thought  he  could  not 
so  easily  have  been  convicted  on  a  fair  hearing  by  his 
peers.  The  death-warrant  was  made  out,  and  immediately 
sent  to  the  lieutenant  of  the  Tower.  The  duke  prepared  for 
death  ;  the  following  morning  was  to  be  his  last ;  but  an 
event  of  greater  consequence  to  the  kingdom  intervened,  and 
prevented  his  execution. 

10.  The  king  had  been  for  some  time  approaching  fast 
towards  his  end  ;  and  for  several  days  all  those  about  his 
person  plainly  saw  that  his  speedy  death  was  inevitable 


166  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

The  disorder  in  his  leg  was  now  grown  extremely  painful ; 
and  this,  added  to  his  monstrous  corpulency,  which  ren- 
dered him  unable  to  stir,  made  him  more  furious  than  a 
chained  lion.  He  had  been  very  stern  and  severe  ;  he  was 
now  outrageous.  In  this  state  he  had  continued  for  nearly 
four  years  before  his  death,  the  terror  of  all,  and  the  tor- 
mentor of  himself ;  his  courtiers  having  no  inclination  to 
make  an  enemy  of  him,  as  they  were  more  ardently  em- 
ployed in  conspiring  the  death  of  each  other.*  11.  In  this 
manner,  therefore,  he  was  suffered  to  struggle,  without  any 
of  his  domestics  having  the  courage  to  warn  him  of  his  ap- 
proaching end  ;  as  more  than  once,  during  this  reign,  per- 
sons had  been  put  to  death  for  foretelling  the  death  of  the 
king.  At  last,  sir  Anthony  Denny  had  the  courage  to  dis- 
close to  him  this  dreadful  secret ;  and,  contrary  to  his  usual 
custom,  he  received  the  tidings  with  an  expression  of  resig- 
nation. 12.  His  anguish  and  remorse  were  at  this  time 
greater  than  can  be  expressed  ;  he  desired  that  Cranmer 
might  be  sent  for  ;  but  before  that  prelate  could  arrive  he 
was  speechless.  Cranmer  desired  him  to  give  some  sign 
of  his  dving  in  the  faith  of  Christ ;  he  squeezed  his  hand, 
and  immediately  expired,  after  a  reign  of  thirty-seven  years 
and  nine  months,  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  his  age. 

13.  Some  kings  have  been  tyrants  from  contradiction 
and  revolt ;  some  from  being  misled  by  favourites ;  and 
some  from  a  spirit  of  party ;  but  Henry  was  cruel  from  a 


*  The  irritability  of  the  king  was  so  ungovernable,  that  many  fell  victims 
to  it ;  and  his  queen,  who  constantly  attended  him  with  the  most  tender  and 
dutiful  care,  had  also,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  account,  nearly  fallen 
a  sacrifice.  Henry's  favourite  topic  of  conversation  was  theology,  and 
Catharine  had  unwarilv  ventured  to  raise  objections  against  his  arguments 
Henry,  highly  provoked  that  she  should  presume  to  differ  from  his  opinion 
complained  of  her  obstinacy  to  Gardiner,  bishop  of  Winchester,  the  chancel 
lor,  who  inflamed  his  anger  by  representing  the  queen  as  a  dangerous  here 
tic.  Hurried  by  their  insinuations,  he  went  so  far  as  to  direct  the  chancellor 
to  draw  up  articles  of  impeachment,  which  he  signed.  This  paper  fortu- 
nately fell  into  the  hands  of  one  of  the  queen's  friends,  who  immediately  car- 
ried the  intelligence  to  her.  Next  morning  she  paid  her  usual  visit  to  the 
king,  and  finding  him  disposed  to  challenge  her  to  an  argument  on  divinity 
she  modestly  declined  the  conversation,  saying,  that  it  did  not  become  a 
weak  woman  to  dispute  with  one,  who,  by  his  superior  learning,  was  enti- 
tled to  dictate,  not  only  to  her,  but  to  the  whole  world  ;  and  that  if  ever  she 
had  ventured  to  object  to  any  thing  he  advanced,  it  was  only  for  the  6ake 
of  her  own  instruction,  and  to  engage  him  upon  topics  which  diverted  his 
pains.  This  seasonable  piece  of  flattery  suddenly  revived  his  affections,  and 
the  chancellor  coming  soon  after  with  a  numerous  escort,  tc  seize  the  queen 
and  carry  her  to  the  Tower,  the  king  treated  him  very  roMgh'y,  calling  him 
knave,  fool,  and  beast,  and  commanded  him  to  be  gone- — De  Moleville's 
O  tat  Britain. 


HENRY    VIII. 


167 


depraved  disposition  alone ;  cruel  in  government,  cruel  in 
religion,  and  cruel  in  his  family.  Our  divines  have  taken 
some  pains  to  vindicate  the  character  of  this  brutal  prince, 
as  if  his  conduct  and  our  reformation  had  any  connexion 
with  each  other.  There  is  nothing  so  absurd  as  to  defend 
the  one  by  the  other ;  the  most  noble  designs  are  brought 
about  by  the  most  vicious  instruments  ;  for  we  see  even  that 
cruelty  and  injustice  were  thought  necessary  to  be  employed 
in  our  holy  redemption. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  To  whom  was  the  king  now  married  ? 

2.  What  at  this  time  increased  the  king's  irascibility  ? 

3.  Who  were  the  last  who  felt  this  severity  ? 

4, 5.  What  character  is  given  of  the  earl  of  Surry  ? 

6.  Who  appeared  among  the  number  of  Surry's  accusers  ? 

7.  What  was  the  chief  charge  alleged  against  this  nobleman  ? 

8.  Where  was  he  executed  ? 

9.  What  was  the  fate  of  his  father,  the  duke  of  Norfolk? 
10.  What  description  is  given  of  the  king  during  his  illness  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.T). 

Julius  II.. 1503 

LeoX 1513 

Adrian  VI 1522 

Clement  VII 1523 

Paul  III 1534 

Emperors  of  Germany. 
Maximilian  I.  ....   1493 
Charles  V 1519 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 

BajazetH 1481 

SelimI 1512 

Solimanll 1520 


Kings  of  France,   a.d. 

Louis  XII 1498 

Francis  1 1515 

Kings  and  Qu.  of  Spain. 

Philip  1 1504 

Joan 1506 

Charles  1 1516 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Emanuel 1495 

John  III 1512 

Kings  of  Denmark  and 

Sweden. 
John : 1481 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


A.T>. 

Christian  II 1513 

Kings  of  Denmark 
alone. 

Frederick  1 1524 

Christian  III 1533 

King  of  Sweden  alone. 
Gustavus  Vasa* . . .   1522 

Kings  and  Queen  of 
Scotland. 

James  IV 1498 

James  V 1514 

Mary 1542 


Thomas  Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  cardinal  Wolsey  and  sir 
Thomas  More,  lord  chancellors  ;  Thomas,  lord  Cromwell ;  Gardiner,  bishop 
of  Winchester ;  Henry  Howard,  earl  of  Surry ;  Nicholas,  lord  Vaux ;  John 
Bourchier,  lord  Berners ;  George  Boleyn,  viscount  Rochford ;  John,  lord 
Lumley ;  Edward,  lord  Sheffield  ;  dean  Collet. 


*  Gustavus  Vasa  delivered  Sweden  from  the  Danish  joke ,  and  for  his 
recomoense  was  elected  its  independent  sovereign. 


HM*  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
EDWARD  VI. 

Rom  1537.    Died  July  6,  1553.     Began  to  reign  Jan.  29,  1547-    Reigned  6£  years. 

Men  perish  in  advance,  as  if  the  sun 
Should  set  ere  noon.  Young. 

1.  (A.  D.  1547.)  Henry  the  Eighth  was  succeeded  on 
the  throne  by  his  only  son,  Edward  the  Sixth,  now  in  the 
ninth  year  of  his  age.  The  late  king,  in  his  will,  which  he 
expected  would  be  implicitly  obeyed,  fixed  the  majority  of 
the  prince  at  the  completion  of  his  eighteenth  year  ;  and,  in 
the  mean  time,  appointed  sixteen  executors  of  his  will,  to 
whom,  during  the  minority,  he  intrusted  the  government  of 
the  king  and  kingdom  :  the  duke  of  Somerset,  as  protector, 
being  placed  at  their  head. 

2.  The  protector,  in  his  schemes  for  advancing  the  re- 
formation, had  always  recourse  to  the  counsels  of  Cranmer, 
who,  being  a  man  of  moderation  and  prudence,  was  averse 
to  violent  changes,  and  determined  to  bring  over  the  people 
by  insensible  innovations  to  his  own  peculiar  system. 

3.  A  committee  of  bishops  and  divines  had  been  appointed 
by  the  council  to  frame  a  liturgy  for  the  service  of  the 
church  ;  and  this  work  was  executed  with  great  moderation, 
precision,  and  accuracy.  A  law  was  also  enacted,  permit- 
ting priests  to  marry  ;  the  ceremony  of  auricular  confession, 
though  not  abolished,  was  left  at  the  discretion  of  the  people, 
who  were  not  displeased  at  being  freed  from  the  spiritual 
tyranny  of  their  instructors  ;  the  doctrine  of  the  real  pre- 
sence was  the  last  tenet  of  popery  that  was  wholly  aban- 
doned by  the  people,  as  both  the  clergy  and  laity  were  loth 
to  renounce  so  miraculous  a  benefit  as  it  was  asserted  to  be. 
4.  However,  at  last,  not  only  this,  but  all  the  principal 
opinions  and  practices  of  the  catholic  religion,  contrary  to 
what  the  Scripture  authorizes,  were  abolished ;  and  the 
reformation,  such  as  we  have  it,  was  almost  entirely  com- 
pleted in  England.  With  all  these  innovations  the  people 
and  clergy  in  general  acquiesced  ;  and  Gardiner  and  Bon- 
ner were  the  only  persons  whose  opposition  was  thought  of 
any  weight;  they  were,  therefore,  sent  to  the  Tower,  and 
threatened  with  the  king's  further  displeasure  in  case  of  dis- 
obedience.    A.D.  1548. 


EDWARD    VI,,  169 

5.  For  all  these  the  protector  gained  great  applause  and 
popularity ;  but  he  was  raised  to  an  enviable  degree  of 
eminence,  and  his  enemies  were  numerous  in  proportion  to 
his  exaltation.  Of  all  the  ministers  at  that  time  in  council, 
Dudley,  earl  of  Warwick,  was  the  most  artful,  ambitious, 
and  unprincipled.  Resolved,  at  any  rate,  to  possess  the 
principal  place  under  the  king,  he  cared  not  what  means 
were  to  be  used  in  acquiring  it.  However,  unwilling  to 
throw  off  the  mask,  he  covered  the  most  exorbitant  views 
under  the  fairest  appearances.  Having  associated  himself 
with  the  earl  of  Southampton,  he  formed  a  strong  party  in 
the  council,  who  were  determined  to  free  themselves  from 
the  control  the  protector  assumed  over  them.  That  noble- 
man was,  in  fact,  now  grown  obnoxious  to  a  very  prevailing 
party  in  the  kingdom.  7.  He  was  hated  by  the  nobles  for 
his  superior  magnificence  and  power  ;  he  was  hated  by  the 
catholic  party  for  his  regard  to  the  reformation  ;  he  was 
disliked  by  many  for  his  severity  to  his  brother ;  besides, 
the  great  estate  he  had  raised  at  the  expense  of  the  church 
and  the  crown  rendered  him  obnoxious  to  all.  The  palace* 
which  he  was  then  building  in  the  Strand  served  also,  by 
its  magnificence,  and  still  more  so  by  the  unjust  methods* 
that  were  taken  to  raise  it,  to  expose  him  to  the  censures  of 
the  public.  The  parish  church  of  St.  Mary,  with  three 
bishops'  houses,  were  pulled  down  to  furnish  ground  and 
materials  for  the  structure. 

8.  He  was  soon  afterwards  sent  to  the  Tower ;  and  the 
chief  article  of  which  he  was  accused  was  his  usurpation  of 
the  government,  and  taking  all  the  power  into  his  own 
hands  ;  but  his  great  riches  were  the  real:  cause.  Several 
others  of  a  slighter  tint  were  added  to  invigorate  this  accu- 
sation, but  none  of  them  could  be  said  to  amount  to  high- 
treason.  9.  In  consequence  of  these,  a  bill  of  attainder  was 
preferred  against  him  in  the  house  of  lords :  but  Somerset 
contrived  for  this  time  to  elude  the  rigour  of  their  sentence, 
by  having  previously,  on  his  knees,  confessed  the  charge 
before  the  members  of  the  council.  10.  In  consequence  of 
this  confession,  he  was  deprived  of  all  his  offices  and  goods, 
together  with  a  great  part  of  his  landed  estates,  which  were 
forfeited  to' the  use  of  the  crown.  This  fine  on  his  estate 
was  soon  after  remitted  by  the  king  ;  and  Somerset,  once 
more,  contrary  to  the  expectation  of  all,  recovered  his  li 

*  StiM  called  Somerset  house. 
P 


i70  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

berty.  He  was  even  readmitted  into  the  council.  Happy 
for  him  if  his  ambition  had  not  revived  with  his  security  ! 

11.  In  fact,  he  could  not  help  now  and  then  bursting  out 
into  invectives  against  the  king  and  government,  which  were 
quickly  carried  to  his  secret  enemy,  ,the  earl  of  Warwick, 
who  was  now  become  the  duke  of  Northumberland.  As  he 
was  surrounded  with  that  nobleman's  creatures,  they  took 
care  to  reveal  all  the  designs  which  they  had  themselves 
first  suggested  ;  and  Somerset  soon  found  the  fatal  effects  of 
his  rival's  resentment.  12.  He  was,  by  Northumberland's 
command,  arrested,  with  many  more  accused  of  being  his 
partisans,  and  was,  with  his  wife,  the  dutchess,  also  thrown 
into  prison.  He  was  now  accused  of  having  formed  a 
design  to  raise  an  insurrection  in  the  north  ;  of  attacking 
the  train-bands  on  a  muster-day ;  of  plotting  to  secure  the 
Tower,  and  to  excite  a  rebellion  in  London. 

13.  These  charges  he  strenuously  denied  ;  but  he  con- 
fessed one  of  as  heinous  a  nature,  which  was,  that  he  had 
laid  a  project  for  murdering  Northumberland,  Northampton, 
and  Pembroke  at  a  banquet,  which  was  to  be  given  them 
Dy  lord  Paget.  He  was  soon  after  brought  to  trial  before 
the  marquis  of  Winchester,  who  sat  as  high-steward  on  the 
occasion,  with  twenty-seven  peers  more,  including  Northum- 
berland, Pembroke,  and  Northampton,  who  were  at  once 
his  judges  and  accusers ;  and  being  found  guilty,  was 
brought  to  the  scaffold  on  Tower-hill,  where  he  appeared 
without  the  least  emotion,  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  concourse 
of  the  populace,  by  whom  he  was  beloved.  14.  He  spoke 
to  them  with  great  composure,  protesting  that  he  had  always 
promoted  the  service  of  his  king,  and  the  interests  of  true 
religion  to  the  best  of  his  power.  The  people  attested  their 
belief  of  what  he  said  by  crying  out,  "  It  is  most  true."  An 
universal  tumult  was  beginning  to  take  place  ;  but  Somerset 
desiring  them  to  be  still,  and  not  interrupt  his  last  medita- 
tions, but  to  join  with  him  in  prayer,  he  laid  down  his  head, 
and  submitted  to  the  stroke  of  the  executioner. 

15.  In  the  mean  time,  Northumberland  had  long  aimed 
at  the  first  authority  ;  and  the  infirm  state  of  the  king's 
health  opened  alluring  prospects  to  his  ambition.  He  re- 
presented to  that  young  prince  that  his  sisters,  Mary  and 
Elizabeth,  who  were  appointed  by  Henry's  will  to  succeed 
in  failure  of  direct  heirs  to  the  crown,  had  been  declared  ille- 
gitimate by  parliament ;  that  the  queen  of  Scots,  his  aunt, 
stood  excluded  by  the  king's  will,  and,  being  an  alien  also. 


EDWARD   VI.  171 

lost  all  right  of  succeeding.  16.  And,  as  the  three  princesses 
were  thus  legally  excluded,  the  succession  naturally  devolved 
to  the  marchioness  of  Dorset,  whose  next  heir  was  the  lady 
Jane  Grey,  a  lady  every  way  accomplished  for  government, 
as  well  by  the  charms  of  her  person  as  the  virtues  and  ac- 
quirements of  her  mind.  The  king,  who  had  long  sub- 
mitted to  all  the  politic  views  of  this  designing  minister, 
agreed  to  have  the  succession  admitted  to  council,  where 
Northumberland  had  influence  soon  after  to  procure  an  easy 
concurrence. 

17.  In  the  mean  time,  as  the  king's  health  declined,  the 
minister  laboured  to  strengthen  his  own  interests  and  con- 
nexions. His  first  aim  was  to  secure  the  interest  of  the 
marquis  of  Dorset,  father  to  lady  Jane  Grey,  by  procuring 
for  him  the  title  of  duke  of  Suffolk,  which  was  lately  become 
extinct.  Having  thus  obliged  this  nobleman,  he  then  pro- 
posed a  match  between  his  fourth  son,  lord  Guildford  Dud- 
ley and  the  lady  Jane  Grey.  18.  Still  bent  on  spreading 
his  interests  as  widely  as  possible,  he  married  his  own 
daughter  to  Lord  Hastings,  and  had  these  marriages  solem- 
nized with  all  possible  pomp  and  festivity.  Meanwhile, 
Edward  continued  to  languish,  and  several  fatal  symptoms 
of  consumption  began  to  appear.  It  was  hoped,  however, 
that  his  youth  and  temperance  might  get  the  better  of  his 
disorders ;  and,  from  their  love,  the  people  were  unwilling 
to  think  him  in  danger.  19.  It  had  been  remarked,  indeed, 
by  some,  that  his  health  was  visibly  seen  to  decline  from 
the  moment  that  the  Dudleys  were  brought  about  his  per- 
son. The  character  of  Northumberland  might  have  justly 
given  some  colour  to  suspicion  ;  and  his  removing  all,  ex- 
cept his  own  emissaries,  from  about  the  king,  still  farther 
increased  the  distrusts  of  the  people.  Northumberland, 
however,  was  no  way  uneasy  at  their  murriiurs ;  he  was  as- 
siduous in  his  attendance  upon  the  king,  and  professed  the 
most  anxious  concern  for  his  safety  ;  but  still  drove  forward 
his  darling  scheme  of  transferring  the  succession  to  his  own 
daughter-in-law. 

20.  The  young  king  was  put  into  the  hands  of  an  igno- 
rant woman,  who  very  confidently  undertook  his  cure. 
After  the  use  of  her  medicines,  all  the  bad  symptoms  in- 
creased to  a  most  violent  degree  ;  he  felt  a  difficulty  of  speech 
and  breathing ;  his  pulse  failed ;  his  legs  swelled  ;  his  colour 
became  livid,  and  many  other  symptoms  appeared  of  his 
approaching  end.     He  expired  ai  Greenwich,  in  the  six- 


172 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


King  Edward  VI.  refusing  to  place  his  foot  on  the  Bible. 

teenth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  seventh  of  his  reign,  greatly 
regretted  by  all,  as  his  early  virtues  gave  a  prospect  of  the 
continuance  of  a  happy  reign,  July  6,  1553. 

An  anecdote  is  related  of  this  king  to  illustrate  his  piety 
and  reverence  for  the  Scriptures.  When  in  his  library,  one 
day,  being  desirous  to  reach  a  book  on  a  high  shelf,  he  was 
offered  a  large  Bible  as  a  footstool.  But  he  refused  the 
offer,  with  strong  expressions  of  disapprobation  towards  the 
attendant  who  had  made  it. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  succeeded  Henry  the  Eighth  ? 

Who  was  appointed  protector  during  the  king's  minority  ? 

2,  3.  By  what  methods  was  the  reformation  begun  and  completed  ? 

4.  Who  were  sent  to  the  Tower  for  their  aversion  to  the  reformation? 

5.  By  whom  was  the  protector  opposed  ? 

7.  For  what  reasons  was  he  universally  disliked  ? 

8.  What  was  the  chief  article  of  accusation  against  him  ? 

9.  By  what  means  did  he  elude  the  rigour  of  his  sentence  ? 

10.  Did  the  protector  regain  his  authority  ? 

11.  \n  what  mariner  did  he  then  conduct  himself? 

12.  By  whose  command  was  he  afterwards  arrested? 
Of  what  was  he  accused  ? 

13.  What  confession  did  he  make  ? 

14.  What  was  his  behaviour  when  brought  to  the  scaffold  ? 

15.  Who  next  aspired  to  the  chief  authority? 

16.  17.  What  means  did  he  take  to  secure  it  ? 

18,  19.  What  circumstances  preceded  the  king's  death  ? 
20.  Where  and  at  what  age  did  Edward  the  Sixth  die  ? 


MARY.  173 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Paul  III 1534 

Julius  III 1550 

Emperor  of  Germany 

and  King  of  Spain. 

Charles  V 1547 


Emperor  of  the  Turks. 

A.D. 

Solimanll 1520 

King  of  France. 
Henry  II 154? 

King  of  Portugal. 
John  III 1541 

EMINENT  PERSONS, 


King  of  Denmark. 

A.D. 

Charles  II 1534 

King  of  Sweden. 
Gustavus  Vasa. . . .   1522 

Queen  of  Scotland. 
Mary 1542 


Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Heath  and  Day,  bishops  of  Worcester 
and  Chichester.  Lord  Seymour.  Dukes  of  Somerset  and  Northumberland 
Guildford,  Lord  Dudley.    Lady  Jarre  Grey. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 
MARY. 


Born  1516.    Died  December  1, 1558.    Began  to  reign  July  16, 153a    Reigned 

5  years. 

When  persecuting  zeal  made  royal  sport 

With  royal  innocence  in  Mary's  court, 

Then  Bonner,  blythe  as  shepherd  at  a  wake, 

Enjoy'd  the  show,  and  danced  about  the  stake-  —  Cowper. 

1.  (A.D.  1553.)  Upon  the  death  of  Edward,  two  candi- 
dates put  in  their  pretensions  to  the  crown  ;  Mary,  Henry's 
daughter  by  Catharine  of  Arragon,  relying  on  the  justice  of 
her  cause  ;  and  lady  Jane  Grey,  being  nominated  in  the 
late  young  king's  will,  and  upon  the  support  of  the  duke  of 
Northumberland,  her  father-in  law.  Mary  was  strongly  bi- 
goted to  the  popish  superstitions,  having  been  bred  up  among 
churchmen,  and  having  been  even  taught  to  prefer  martyr- 
dom to  a  denial  of  her  belief.  2.  As  she  had  lived  in  conti- 
nual restraint,  she  was  reserved  and  gloomy  ;  she  had,  even 
during  the  life  of  her  father,  the  resolution  to  maintain  her 
sentiments,  and  refused  to  comply  with  his  new  institutions. 
Her  zeal  had  rendered  her  furious  ;  and  she  was  not  only 
blindly  attached  to  her  religious  opinions,  but  even  to  the 
popish  clergy  who  maintained  them.  3.  On  the  other  hand, 
Jane  Grey  was  strongly  attached  to  the  reformers  ;  and, 
though  yet  but  sixteen,  her  judgment  had  attained  to  such 
a  degree  of  maturity  as  few  have  been  found  to  possess. 
All  historians  agree  that  the  solidity  of  her  understanding, 
improved  by  continual  application,  rendered  her  the  wonder 
of  her  age.     Jane,  who  was  in  a  great  measure  ignorant  of 

p2 


174  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

all  the  transactions  in  her  favour,  was  struck  with  equa 
grief  and  surprise  when  she  received  intelligence  of  them. 
She  shed  a  flood  of  tears,  appeared  inconsolable,  and  it  was 
not  without  the  utmost  difficulty  that  she  yielded  to  the  en- 
treaties of  Northumberland,  and  the  duke  her  father.  4. 
Orders  were  given  also  for  proclaiming  her  throughout  the 
kingdom  ;  but  these  were  but  very  remissly  obeyed.  When 
she  was  proclaimed  in  the  city,  the  people  heard  her  acces- 
sion made  public  without  any  signs  of  pleasure ;  no  applause 
ensued,  and  some  even  expressed  their  scorn  and  con 
tempt. 

5.  In  the  mean  time,  Mary,  who  had  retired,  upon  the 
news  of  the  king's  death,  to  Kenning  Hall,  in  Norfolk,  sent 
circular  letters  to  all  the  great  towns  and  nobility  in  the 
kingdom,  reminding  them  of  her  right,  and  commanding 
them  to  proclaim  her  without  delay.  Her  claims  soon  be- 
came irresistible  ;  in  a  little  time  she  found  herself  at  the 
head  of  forty  thousand  men  ;  while  the  few  who  attended 
Northumberland  continued  irresolute,  and  he  even  feared  to 
lead  them  to  the  encounter. 

6.  Lady  Jane,  thus  finding  that  all  was  lost,  resigned  her 
royalty,  which  she  had  held  but  ten  days,  with  marks  of 
real  satisfaction,  and  retired  with  her  mother  to  their  own 
habitation.  Northumberland,  also,  who  found  his  affairs 
desperate,  and  that  it  was  impossible  to  stem  the  tide  of  po- 
pular opposition,  attempted  to  quit  the  kingdom  ;  but  he  was 
prevented  by  the  band  of  pensioner  guards,  who  informed 
him  that  he  must  stay  to  justify  their  conduct  in  being  led 
out  against  their  lawful  sovereign.  Thus  circumvented  on 
all  sides,  he  delivered  himself  up  to  Mary,  and  was  soon  af- 
terwards executed  in  a  summary  way.  Sentence  was  a.so 
pronounced  against  lady  Jane  and  lord  Guildford,  but  with- 
out any  intention  for  the  present  of  putting  it  into  execution. 

7.  Mary  now  entered  London,  and  with  very  little  effu- 
sion of  blood  saw  herself  joyfully  proclaimed,  and  peaceably 
settled  on  the  throne.  This  was  a  flattering  prospect  ;  but 
soon  the  pleasing  phantom  was  dissolved.  Mary  was  mo- 
rose, and  a  bigot ;  she  was  resolved  to  give  back  their  for- 
mer power  to  the  clergy  ;  and  thus  once  more  to  involve  the 
kingdom  in  all  the  horrors  from  which  it  had  just  emerged. 
Gardiner,  Tonstal,  Day,  Heath,  and  Vesey,  who  had  been 
confined  or  suffered  losses,  for  their  catholic  opinions,  dur- 
ing the  late  reign,  were  taken  from  prison,  reinstated  in  their 
sees,  and  their  former  sentences  repealed. 


MARY.  175 

8.  A  parliament,  which  the  queen  called  soon  after,  seem- 
ed willing  to  concur  in  all  her  measures  ;  they  at  one  blow 
repealed  all  the  statutes,  with  regard  to  religion,  which  had 
passed  during  the  reign  of  her  predecessors  ;  so  that  the  na- 
tional religion  was  again  placed  on  the  same  footing  on  which 
it  stood  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth. 

9.  While  religion  was  thus  returning  to  its  primitive 
abuses,  the  queen's  ministers,  who  were  willing  to  strengthen 
her  power  by  a  catholic  alliance,  had  been  for  some  time 
looking  out  for- a  proper  consort ;  and  they  at  length  chose 
Philip,  prince  of  Spain,  son  to  the  celebrated  Charles  the 
Fifth.  In  order  to  avoid  any  disagreeable  remonstrance 
from  the  people,  the  articles  of  marriage  were  drawn  as  fa- 
vourable as  possible  to  the  interest  and  honour  of  England  ; 
and  this  in  some  measure  stilled  the  clamours  that  had  already 
been  begun  against  it. 

10.  The  discontents  of  the  people  rose  to  such  a  pitch, 
that  an  insurrection,  headed  by  sir  Thomas  Wyat,  suc- 
ceeded ;  but  Wyat,  being  made  prisoner,  was  condemned 
and  executed,  with  some  of  his  adherents.  But  what  ex- 
cited the  compassion  of  the  people  most  of  all,  was  the 
execution  of  lady  Jane  Grey,  and  her  husband,  lord  Guild- 
ford Dudley,  who  were  involved  in  the  punishment,  thougn 
not  in  the  guilt  of  this  insurrection.  11.  Two  days  after 
Wyat  was  apprehended,  lady  Jane  and  her  husband  were 
ordered  to  prepare  for  death.  Lady  Jane,  who  had  long 
before  seen  the  threatening  blow,  was  no  way  surprised  at 
the  message,  but  bore  it  with  heroic  resolution  ;  and  being 
informed  that  she  had  three  days  to  prepare,  she  seemed 
displeased  at  so  long  a  delay.  12.  On  the  day  of  her  exe- 
cution her  husband  desired  permission  to  see  her ;  but  this 
she  refused,  as  she  knew  the  parting  would  be  too  tender 
for  her  fortitude  to  withstand.  The  place  at  first  designed 
for  their  execution  was  without  the  Tower :  but  their  youth, 
beauty,  and  innocence  being  likely  to  raise  an  insurrection 
among  the  people,  orders  were  given  that  they  should  be 
executed  within  the  verge  of  the  Tower.  13.  Lord  Dudley 
was  the  first  that  suffered ;  and  while  the  lady  Jane  was 
conducting  to  the  place  of  execution,  the  officers  of  the 
Tower  met  her,  bearing  along  the  headless  body  of  her 
husband  streaming  with  blood,  in  order  to  be  interred  in 
the  Tower  chapel.  She  looked  on  the  corpse  for  some  time 
without  any  emotion :  and  then,  with  a  sigh,  desired  them 


I7P 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Death  of  Lady  Jane  Grey. 


fo  proceed.  14.  On  the  scaffold  she  made  a  speech,  in 
which  she  alleged  that  her  offence  was  not  the  having  laid 
her  hand  upon  the  crown,  but  the  not  rejecting  it  with  suf- 
ficient constancy;  that  she  had  less  erred  through  ambition 
than  filial  obedience ;  and  she  willingly  accepted  death  as 
the  only  atonement  she  could  make  to  the  injured  state ; 
and  was  ready  by  her  punishment  to  show,  that  innocence 
is  no  plea  in  excuse  for  deeds  that  tend  to  injure  the 
community.  After  speaking  to  this  effect,  she  caused  her- 
self to  be  disrobed  by  her  women,  and  with  a  steady  serene 
countenance  submitted  to  the  executioner. 

15.  At  the  head  of  those  who  drove  these  violent  mea* 
sures  forward  were  Gardiner,  bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
cardinal  Pole,  who  was  now  returned  from  Italy.  Pole, 
who  was  nearly  allied  by  birth  to  the  royal  family,  had 
always  conscientiously  adhered  to  the  catholic  religion,  and 
had  incurred  Henry's  displeasure,  not  only  by  refusing  to 
assent  to  his  measures,  but  by  writing  against  him.  16.  It 
was  for  this  adherence  that  he  was  cherished  by  the  pope, 
and  now  sent  over  to  England  as  legate  from  the  holy  see. 
Gardiner  was  a  man  of  a  very  different  character;  his  chief 
aim  was  to  please  the  reigning  prince,  and  he  had  shown 
already  many  instances  of  his  prudent  conformity. 


MARY.  177 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  were  the  pretensions  of  the  two  candidates  for  the  crown  f 

2.  What  was  the  character  of  Mary  ? 

3.  What  is  said  of  lady  Jane  Grey  ? 

4.  In  what  manner  was  her  proclamation  received  ? 

5.  How  did  Mary  act,  and  what  was  her  success  ? 

6    What  was  the  fate  of  the  duke  of  Northumberland  ? 

7.  What  was  Mary's  conduct  after  her  accession? 

8.  Did  the  parliament  concur  in  her  religious  views  ? 

9.  What  plan  was  resolved  on  to  strengthen  the  catholic  power? 
11.  What  was  the  fate  of  lady  Jane  Grey  and  her  hushand  ? 
12—14.  Mention  the  circumstances  that  attended  their  execution. 
15,  16.  Who  were  the  instigators  of  those  violent  measures  ? 


SECTION  II. 

Curst  superstition  which  deludes  the  mind 

And  makes  it  to  the  tender  feelings  blind.  —  Anon- 

1.  (A.  D.  1554.)  A  persecution,  therefore,  began  by 
the  martyrdom  of  Hooper,  bishop  of  Gloucester,  and  Rogers, 
prebendary  of  St.  Paul's.  They  were  examined  by  com- 
missioners appointed  by  the  queen,  with  the  chancellor  at 
the  head  of  them.  Saunders  and  Taylor,  two  other  clergy- 
men, whose  zeal  had  been  distinguished  in  carrying  on  the 
reformation,  were  the  next  that  suffered. 

2.  Bonner,  bishop  of  London,  bloated  at  once  with  rage 
and  luxury,  let  loose  his  vengeance  without  restraint,  and 
seemed  to  take  a  pleasure  in  the  pains  of  the  unhappy  suf- 
ferers ;  while  the  queen,  by  her  letters,  exhorted  him  to 
pursue  the  pious  work  without  pity  or  interruption.  Soon 
after,  in  obedience  to  her  commands,  Ridley,  bishop  of 
London,  and  the  venerable  Latimer,  bishop  of  Worcester, 
were  condemned  together.  3.  Ridley  had  been  one  of  the 
ablest  champions  for  the  reformation ;  his  piety,  learning, 
and  solidity  of  judgment  were  admired  by  his  friends  and 
dreaded  by  his  enemies.  The  night  before  his  execution, 
he  invited  the  mayor  of  Oxford  and  his  wife  to  see  him ; 
and,  when  he  beheld  them  melted  into  tears,  he  himself 
appeared  quite  unmoved,  inwardly  supported  and  comforted 
in  that  hour  of  agony.  When  he  was  brought  to  the  stake 
to  be  burnt,  he  found  his  old  friend  Latimer  there  before 
him,  4.  Of  all  the  prelates  of  that  age,  Latimer  was  the 
most  remarkable  for  his  unaffected  piety,  and  the  simplicity 
of  his  manners.  He  had  never  learnt  to  flatter  in  courts : 
and  his  open  rebuke  was  dreaded  by  all  the  great,  who  at 
that  time  too  much  deserved  it.     5.  His  sermons,  which 


178  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

remain  to  this  day,  show  that  he  had  much  learning  ano 
much  wit;  and  there  is  an  air  of  sincerity  running  through 
them,  not  to  be  found  elsewhere.  When  Ridley  began  to 
comfort  his  ancient  friend,  Latimer  was  as  ready,  on  his 
part,  to  return  the  kind  office  :  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  brother," 
cried  he ;  "  we  shall  this  day  kindle  such  a  torch  in  Eng- 
land, as,  I  trust  in  God,  shall  never  be  extinguished."  6.  A 
furious  bigot  ascended  to  preach  to  them  and  the  people, 
while  the  fire  was  preparing;  and  Ridley  gave  a  most 
serious  attention  to  his  discourse.  No  way  distracted  by 
the  preparations  about  him,  he  heard  him  to  the  last,  and 
then  told  him  he  was  ready  to  answer  all  he  had  preached 
upon,  if  he  were  permitted  a  short  indulgence  ;  but  this  was 
refused  him.  At  length  fire  was  set  to  the  pile ;  Latimer 
was  soon  out  of  pain  :  but  Ridley  continued  to  suffer  much 
longer,  his  legs  being  consumed  before  the  fire  reached  his 
vitals. 

7.  Cranmer's  death  followed  soon  after,  and  struck  the 
whole  nation  with  horror.  His  love  of  life  had  formerly 
prevailed.  In  an  unguarded  moment  he  was  induced,  to 
sign  a  paper  condemning  the  reformation ;  and  now  his 
enemies,  as  we  are  told  of  the  devil,  after  having  rendered 
him  completely  wretched,  resolved  to  destroy  him. 

8.  Being  led  to  the  stake,  and  the  fire  beginning  to  be 
kindled  round  him,  he  stretched  forth  his  right  hand,  and 
held  it  in  the  flames  till  it  was  consumed,  while  he  fre- 
quently cried  out,  in  the  midst  of  his  sufferings,  "  That 
unworthy  hand  !"  at  the  same  time  exhibiting  no  appearance 
of  pain  or  disorder.  When  the  fire  attacked  his  body,  he 
seemed  to  be  quite  insensible  to  his  tortures :  his  mind  was 
wholly  occupied  upon  the  hopes  of  a  future  reward.  After 
his  body  was  destroyed,  his  heart  was  found  entire ;  an 
emblem  of  the  constancy  with  which  he  suffered. 

9.  It  was  computed  that,  during  this  persecution,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-seven  persons  suffered  by  fire,  besides 
those  punished  by  imprisonment,  fines,  and  confiscations. 
Among  those  who  suffered  by  fire,  were  five  bishops, 
twenty-one  clergymen,  eight  lay  gentlemen,  eighty-four 
tradesmen,  one  hundred  husbandmen,  fifty-five  women,  and 
four  children.  All  this  was  terrible ;  and  yet  the  temporal 
affairs  of  the  kingdom  did  not  seem  to  be  more  successful. 

10.  (A.  D.  1557.)  Calais,  that  had  now  for  above  two 
hundred  years  been  in  possession  of  the  English,  was 
attacked,  and  by  a  sudden  and  unexpected  assault,  being 


MARY.  179 

blockaded  up  on  every  side,  was  obliged  to  capitulate ;  so 
that  in  less  than  eight  days,  the  duke  of  Guise  recovered 
a  city  that  had  been  in  possession  of  the  English  since  the 
time  of  Edward  the  Third,  who  had  spent  eleven  months 
in  besieging  it.  This  loss  filled  the  whole  kingdom  with 
murmurs,  and  the  queen  with  despair;  she  was  heard  to 
say,  that,  when  dead,  the  name  of  Calais  would  be  found 
engraven  upon  her  heart. 

11.  These  complicated  evils,  a  murmuring  people,  an  in- 
creasing heresy,  a  disdainful  husband,  and  an  unsuccessful 
war,  made  dreadful  depredations  on  Mary's  constitution. 
She  began  to  appear  consumptive,  and  this  rendered  her 
mind  still  more  morose  and  bigoted.  The  people  now, 
therefore,  began  to  turn  their  thoughts  to  her  successor  ; 
and  the  princess  Elizabeth  came  into  a  greater  degree  of 
consideration  than  before.  12.  Mary  had  been  long  in  a 
very  declining  state  of  health;  and  having  mistaken  the 
nature  of  her  disease,  she  made  use  of  an  improper  regi- 
men, which  had  increased  her  disorder.  Every  reflection 
now  tormented  her.  The  consciousness  of  being  hated  by 
her  subjects,  and  the  prospect  of  Elizabeth's  succession, 
whom  she  hated,  preyed  upon  her  mind,  and  threw  her  into 
a  lingering  fever,  of  which  she  died,  after  a  short  and  un- 
fortunate reign  of  five  years,  four  months,  and  eleven  days, 
in  the  forty-third  year  of  her  age. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  were  the  first  in  this  reign  who  suffered  martyrdom  for  their  re 

ligion  ? 

2.  Who  were  the  principal  actors  in  this  persecution? 

3.  4.  Describe  the  behaviour  and  character  of  Ridley  and  Latimer. 

6.  What  words  did  Latimer  make  use  of  at  the  stake  to  his  friend  and 
fellow-sufferer? 

8.  What  is  said  of  the  character  and  death  of  Cranmer  ? 

9.  How  many  persons  are  said  to  have  Deen  burnt  on  account  of  their  re 

ligious  tenets  ? 

10.  By  what  means  was  Calais  obliged  to  capitulate  ? 

11.  What  hastened  Mary's  death? 

12.  How  long  did  she  reign  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Poms.  a.d. 

Julius  III 1550 

Marcellus  II 1555 

PaulIV 1555 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Charles  V 1519 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 
Solimanll 1520 


King  of  France. 

A.D. 

Henry  II 1547 

King  of  Spain. 
Philip  II 1555 

King- of  Portugal. 
John  III 1521 


King  of  Denmark. 

A.I. 

Frederic  n 1549 

King  of  Sweden. 
Gustavus  Vasa. . .   1522 

Queen  of  Scotland. 
Mary 1542 


180  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Archbishop  Cranmer;  bishops  Ridley,  Hooper,  Latimer,  Ferres,  Rogers 
Saunders,  Taylor,  and  many  others  of  the  clergy  who  suffered  for  their  re 
ligion.  Cardinal  Pole,  bishops  Gardiner,  Bonner,  Thirlby,  &c.  who  were 
fiery  supporters  of  the  papal  power.*    Lord  Stafford. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ELIZABETH. 


Born  1533.    Died  March  24, 1603.     Began  to  reign  November  7,  1558.    Reigned 
44£  years. 

SECTION  I. 

1.  (A.  D.  1558.)  Nothing  could  exceed  the  joy  that  was 
diffused  among  the  people  upon  the  accession  of  Elizabeth, 
who  now  came  to  the  throne  without  any  opposition. 

This  favourite  of  the  people,  from  ike  beginning,  resolved 
upon  reforming  the  church,  even  while  she  was  held  in  the 
constraints  of  a  prison ;  and  now,  upon  coming  to  the 
crown,  she  immediately  set  about  it.  A  parliament  soon 
after  completed  what  the  prerogative  had  begun ;  act  after 
act  was  passed  in  favour  of  the  reformation  ;  and  in  a  single 
session  the  form  of  religion  was  established  as  we  at  present 
have  the  happiness  to  enjoy  it. 

2.  A  state  of  permanent  felicity  is  not  to  be  expected 
here  ;  and  Mary  Stuart,  commonly  called  Mary  queen  of 
Scots,  was  the  first  person  that  excited  the  fears  or  the  re- 
sentment of  Elizabeth.  Henry  the  Seventh  had  married 
his  eldest  daughter,  Margaret,  to  James,  king  of  Scotland, 
who  dying,  left  no  issue  that  came  to  maturity  except  Mary, 

*  "  The  common  net  at  that  time  for  catching  of  protestants  was  the  real 
presence,  and  this  net  was  used  to  catch  the  princess  Elizabeth ;  for  being 
asked  one  time,  what  she  thought  of  the  words  of  God,  this  is  my  body, 
whether  she  thought  it  the  true  body  of  Christ  that  was  in  the  sacrament  ? 
It  is  said,  that  after  some  pausing,  she  thus  answered:— 

Christ  was  the  word  that  spake  it, 

He  took  the  bread  and  brake  it. 

And  what  that  word  did  make  it, 

That  I  believe  and  take  it 
Which,  though  it  may  seem  but  a  slight  expression,  yet  hath  it  more  solidnesp 
than  at  first  sight  appears ;  at  least  it  served  her  turn, at  that  time  to  escape 
the  net,  which  by  direct  answer  she  could  not  have  done." 


ELIZABETH.  181 

afterwards  surnamed  Mary  queen  of  Scots.  3.  At  a  very- 
early  age,  this  princess,  being  possessed  of  every  accom- 
plishment of  person  and  mind,  was  married  to  Francis,  the 
dauphin  of  France,  who,  dying,  left  her  a  widow  at  the  age 
of  nineteen.  Upon  the  death  of  Francis,  Mary,  the  widow, 
still  seemed  disposed  to  keep  up  the  title  ;  but,  finding  her- 
self exposed  to  the  persecutions  of  the  dowager-queen,  who 
now  began  to  take  the  lead  in  France,  she  returned  home  to 
Scotland,  where  she  found  the  people  strongly  impressed 
with  the  gloomy  enthusiasm  of  the  times.  4.  A  difference 
of  religion  between  the  sovereign  and  the  people  is  ever 
productive  of  bad  effects;  since  it  is  apt  to  produce  con- 
tempt on  the  one  side,  and  jealousy  on  the  other.  Mary 
could  not  avoid  regarding  the  sour  manners  of  the  reforming 
clergy,  who  now  bore  the  sway  among  the  Scots,  with  a 
mixture  of  ridicule  and  hatred  ;  while  they,  on  the  other 
hand,  could  not  look  tamely  on  gayeties  and  levities  which 
she  introduced  among  them,  without  abhorrence  and  resent- 
ment. The  jealousy  thus  excited  began  every  day  to  grow 
stronger ;  the  clergy  only  waited  for  some  indiscretion  in 
the  queen  to  fly  out  into  open  opposition ;  and  her  impru- 
dence but  too  soon  gave  them  sufficient  opportunity. 

5.  Mary,  upon  her  return,  had  married  the  earl  of  Darn- 
ley  ;  but  having  been  dazzled  by  the  pleasing  exterior  of  her 
new  lover,  she  had  entirely  forgotten  to  look  to  the  accom- 
plishments of  his  mind.  Darnley  was  but  a  weak  and  igno- 
rant man  ;  violent,  yet  variable  in  his  enterprises ;  insolent, 
yet  credulous,  and  easily  governed  by  flatterers.  She  soon, 
therefore,  began  to  convert  her  admiration  into  disgust : 
and  Dainley,  enraged  at  her  increasing  coldness,  pointed  his 
vengeance  against  every  person  he  supposed  the  cause  of 
this  change  in  her  sentiments  and  behaviour. 

6.  There  was  then  in  the  court  one  David  Rizzio,  the 
son  of  a  musician  at  Turin,  himself  a  musician,  wliom  Mary 
took  into  her  confidence.  She  consulted  him  on  all  occa- 
sions ;  no  favours  could  be  obtained  but  by  his  intercession ; 
and  all  suitors  were  first  obliged  to  gain  Rizzio  to  their 
interests  by  presents  or  by  flattery.  7.  It  was  easy  to 
persuade  a  man  of  Darnley's  jealous  and  uxorious  temper 
that  Rizzio  was  the  person  who  had  estranged  the  queen's 
affections  from  him  :  and  a  surmise  once  conceived  became 
to  him  a  certainty.  He  soon,  therefore,  Consulted  with 
some  lords  of  his  party,  who  accompanying  vhim  into  the 
queen's  apartments,  where  Rizzio  then  was,  they  dragged 

Q 


182  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

him  into  the  antechamber,  where  he  was  despatched  with 
fifty-six  wounds  ;  the  unhappy  princess  continuing  her  la- 
mentations while  they  were  perpetrating  their  horrid  crime. 
8.  Being  informed,  however,  of  his  fate,  Mary  at  once  dried 
her  tears,  and  said  she  would  weep  no  more,  for  she  would 
now  think  of  revenge.  She,  therefore,  concealed  her  resent- 
ment, and  so  far  imposed  upon  Darnley,  her  husband,  that 
he  put  himself  under  her  protection,  and  soon  after  attended 
her  to  Edinburgh,  where  he  was  told  the  place  would  be 
favourable  to  his  health. 

9.  Mary  lived  in  the  palace  of  Holyrood-house  ;  but  as 
the  situation  of  that  place  was  low,  and  the  concourse  of 
people  about  the  court  necessarily  attended  with  noise, 
which  might  disturb  him  in  his  present  infirm  state,  she 
fitted  up  an  apartment  for  him  in  a  solitary  house  at  some 
distance,  called  the  Kirk  of  Field.  Mary  there  gave  him 
marks  of  kindness  and  attachment;  she  conversed  cordially 
with  him,  and  she  lay  some  nights  in  a  room  under  his. 
10.  It  was  on  the  9th  of  February  that  she  told  him  she 
would  pass  that  night  in  the  palace,  because  the  marriage  of 
one  of  her  servants  was  to  be  there  celebrated  in  her  pre- 
sence. But  dreadful  consequences  ensued.  About  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  whole  city  was  much  alarmed 
at  hearing  a  great  noise  ;  the  house  in  which  Darnley  lay 
was  blown  up  with  gunpowder.  His  dead  body  was  found 
at  some  distance  in  a  neighbouring  field,  but  without  any 
marks  of  violence  or  contusion.  No  doubt  could  be  enter- 
tained but  that  Darnley  was  murdered,  and  the  general  sus- 
picion fell  upon  Bothwell,  a  person  lately  taken  into  Mary's 
favour,  as  the  perpetrator. 

11.  One  crime  led  on  to  another  ;  Bothwell,  though  ac- 
cused of  being  stained  with  the  husband's  blood,  though 
universally  odious  to  the  people,  had  the  confidence,  while 
Mary  was  on  her  way  to  Stirling,  on  a  visit  to  her  son,  to 
seize  her  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  eight  hundred  horse,  and 
to  carry  her  to  Dunbar,  where  he  forced  her  to  yield  to  his 
purposes.  12.  It  was  then  thought  by  the  people  that  the 
measure  of  his  crimes  was  complete ;  and  that  he  who  was 
supposed  to  kill  the  queen's  husband,  and  to  have  pos- 
sessed himself  of  her  person,  could  expect  no  mercy  :  but 
they  were  astonished  upon  finding,  instead  of  disgrace,  that 
Bothwell  was  taken  into  more  than  former  favour ;  and  to 
crown  all,  that  he  was  married  to  Mary,  having  divorced 
lis  own  wife  to  procure  his  union. 


ELIZABETH.  183 

13.  This  was  a  fatal  alliance  to  Mary;  and  the  people 
were  now  wound  up,  by  the  complication  of  her  guilt,  to 
pay  very  little  deference  to  her  authority.  An  association 
was  formed  that  took  Mary  prisoner,  and  sent  her  into  con- 
finement to  the  castle  of  Lochlevin,  situated  in  a  lake  of  that 
name,  where  she  suffered  all  the  severities  of  an  unkind 
keeper,  an  upbraiding  conscience,  with  a  feeling  heart. 

14.  The  calamities  of  the  great,  even  though  justly  de- 
served, seldom  fail  of  creating  pity,  and  procuring  friends. 
Mary,  by  her  charms  and  promises,  had  engaged  a  young 
gentleman,  whose  name  was  George  Douglas,  to  assist  her 
in  escaping  from  the  place  wherein  she  was  confined ;  and 
this  he  effected  by  conveying  her  in  disguise  in  a  small  boat, 
rowed  by  himself,  ashore.  It  was  now  that,  the  news  of  hei 
enlargement  being  spread  abroad,  all  the  loyalty  of  the  peo- 
ple seemed  to  revive  once  more,  and  in  a  few  days  she  saw 
herself  at  the  head  of  six  thousand  men. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  were  the  first  acts  of  Elizabeth  in  favour  of? 

2.  Who  was  the  first  person  that  excited  her  resentment? 
From  whom  was  Mary  queen  of  Scots  descended  ? 

3.  To  whom  was  she  first  married  ? 

4.  Why  is  the  difference  of  religion  between  the  sovereign  and  the  people 

apt  to  produce  bad  effects  ? 

5.  Describe  the  character  of  the  earl  of  Damley. 

6.  Who  was  David  Rizzio  ? 

7.  What  was  the  fate  of  Rizzio? 

8.  On  what  did  Mary  determine  in  consequence  ? 

9.  How  did  she  affect  to  treat  her  husband  ? 

10.  Relate  the  circumstances  of  the  earl  of  Darnley's  death- 

13.  Where  was  Mary  confined? 

14.  By  what  means  did  she  escape  ? 


SECTION  II. 

But  malice,  envy,  cruelty  and  spleen, 

To  death  doom'd  Scotia's  dear  devoted  queen.  —  Macdonald. 

1.  (A.  D.  1568.)  A  battle  was  fought  at  Langside,  near 
Glasgow,  which  was  entirely  decisive  against  the  queen  of 
Scots  ;  and  now,  being  totally  ruined,  she  fled  southward 
from  the  field  of  battle  with  great  precipitation,  and  came 
with  a  few  attendants  to  the  borders  of  England,  where  sne 
hoped  for  protection  from  Elizabeth,  who,  instead  of  pro- 
tecting, ordered  her  to  be  put  in  confinement,  yet  treated 
her  with  all  proper  marks  of  respect.     2.  She  was  accora- 


184  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

ingly  sent  to  Tutbury-castle,  in  the  county  of  Stafford,  and 
put  into  the  custody  of  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury ;  where  she 
had  hopes  given  her  of  one  day  coming  into  favour,  and 
that,  unless  her  own  obstinacy  prevented,  an  accommodation 
might  at  last  take  place. 

3.  The  duke  of  Norfolk  was  the  only  peer  who  enjoyed 
the  highest  title  of  nobility  in  England ;  and  the  qualities 
of  his  mind  were  correspondent  to  his  high  station.  Bene- 
ficent, affable,  and  generous,  he  had  acquired  the  affections 
of  the  people  ;  and  yet,  from  his  moderation,  he  had  never 
alarmed  the  jealousy  of  the  sovereign.  He  was  at  this 
time  a  widower,  and  being  of  a  suitable  age  to  espouse  the 
queen  of  Scots,  her  own  attractions,  as  well  as  his  interest, 
made  him  desirous  of  the  match.  4.  Elizabeth,  however, 
dreaded  such  an  union,  and  the  duke  was  soon  after  made 
prisoner,  and  sent  to  the  Tower.  Upon  his  releasement 
from  thence,  new  projects  were  set  on  foot  by  the  enemies 
of  the  queen  and  the  reformed  religion,  secretly  fomented 
by  Rodolphi,  an  instrument  of  the  court  of  Rome,  and  the 
bishop  of  Ross,  Mary's  minister  in  England.  5.  It  was 
concerted  by  them  that  Norfolk  should  renew  his  designs 
upon  Mary,  and  raise  her  to  the  throne,  to  which  it  is  pro- 
bable he  was  prompted  by  passion  as  well  as  interest ;  and 
this  nobleman  entering  into  their  schemes,  he,  from  being  at 
first  only  ambitious,  now  became  criminal.  His  servants 
were  brought  to  make  a  full  confession  of  their  master's 
guilt ;  and  the  bishop  of  Ross,  soon  after  finding  the  whole 
discovered,  did  not  scruple  to  confirm  their  testimony.  6. 
The  duke  was  instantly  committed  to  the  Tower,  and  or- 
dered to  prepare  for  his  trial.  A  jury  of  twenty-five  peers 
unanimously  passed  sentence  upon  him;  and  the  queen, 
four  months  after,  reluctantly  signed  the  warrant  for  his 
execution.  He  died  with  great  calmness  and  constancy  ; 
and,  though  he  cleared  himself  of  any  disloyal .  intentions 
against  the  queen's  authority,  he  acknowledged  the  justice 
of  the  sentence  by  which  he  suffered. 

7.  These  conspiracies  served  to  prepare  the  way  for 
Mary's  ruin,  whose  greatest  misfortunes  proceeded  rather 
from  the  violence  of  her  friends  than  the  malignity  of  her 
enemies.  Elizabeth's  ministers  had  long  been  waiting  for 
some  signal  instance  of  the  captive  queen's  enmity,  which 
they  could  easily  convert  into  treason ;  and  this  was  not 
long  wanting.  8.  About  this  time  (A.D.  1586),  one  John 
Ballard,  a  popish  priest,  who  had  been  bred  in  the  English 


ELIZABETH.  185 

seminary  at  Rheims,  resolved  to  compass  the  death  of  the 
queen,  whom  he  considered  as  the  enemy  of  his  religion  ; 
and  with  that  gloomy  resolution  came  over  to  England  in 
the  disguise  of  a  soldier,  with  the  assumed  name  of  captain 
Fortescue.  He  bent  his  endeavours  to  bring  about  at  once 
the  project  of  an  assassination,  an  insurrection,  and  an 
invasion.  9.  The  first  person  he  addressed  himself  to  was 
Anthony  Babington,  of  Dethick,  in  the  county  of  Derby,  a 
young  gentleman  of  good  family,  and  possessed  of  a  very 
plentiful  fortune.  This  person  had  been  long  remarkable 
for  his  zeal  in  the  catholic  cause,  and  in  particular  for  his 
attachment  to  the  captive  queen.  He,  therefore,  came 
readily  into  the  plot,  and  procured  the  concurrence  and 
assistance  of  some  other  associates  in  this  dangerous  under- 
taking. 10.  The  next  step  was  to  apprize  Mary  of  the 
conspiracy  formed  in  her  favour ;  and  this  they  effected 
by  conveying  their  letters  to  her  by  the  means  of  a  brewer 
that  supplied  the  family  with  ale,  through  a  chink  in  the 
wall  of  her  apartment.  In  these,  Babington  informed  her 
of  a  design  laid  for  a  foreign  invasion,  the  plan  of  an  insur- 
rection at .  home,  the  scheme  for  her  delivery,  and  the 
conspiracy  for  assassinating  the  usurper,  by  six  noble 
gentlemen,  as  he  termed  them,  all  of  them  his  private 
friends,  who  from  the  zeal  which  they  bore  the  catholic 
cause,  and  her  majesty's  service,  would  undertake  the 
tragical  execution.  11.  To  these  Mary  replied,  that  she 
approved  highly  of  the  design ;  that  the  gentlemen  might 
expect  all  the  rewards  which  it  should  ever  be  in  her  power 
to  confer  ;  and  that  the  death  of  Elizabeth  was  a  necessary 
circumstance,  previous  to  any  further  attempts,  either  foi 
her  delivery  or  the  intended  insurrection. 

12.  The  plot  being  thus  ripe  for  execution,  and  the 
evidence  against  the  conspirators  incontestable,  Walsing- 
ham,  who  was  privately  informed  of  all,  resolved  to  suspend 
their  punishment  no  longer.  A  warrant  was  accordingly 
issued  out  for  the  apprehension  of  Babington  and  the 
rest  of  the  conspirator,  who  covered  themselves  with 
various  disguises,  and  endeavoured  to  keep  themselves 
concealed.  But  they  were  soon  discovered,  thrown  into 
prison,  and  brought  to  trial.  In  their  examination  they 
contradicted  each  other,  and  the  leaders  were  obliged  to 
make  a  full  confession  of  the  truth.  Fourteen  were  con- 
demned and  executed  ;  seven  of  whom  died  acknowledging 
their  crime. 

Q2 


186  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. ■ 

13.  The  execution  of  these  wretched  men  only  prepared 
the  way  for  one  of  still  greater  importance,  in  which  a  cap- 
tive queen  was  to  submit  to  the  unjust  decision  of  those  who 
had  no  right,  but  that  of  power,  to  condemn  her.  Accord- 
ingly a  commission  was  issued  to  forty  peers,  with  five 
judges,  or  the  major  part  of  them,  to  try  and  pass  sentence 
upon  Mary,  daughter  and  heir  of  James  the  Fifth,  king  of 
Scotland,  commonly  called  queen  of  Scots,  and  dowager  of 
France.  14.  Thirty-six  of  these  commissioners  arriving  at 
the  castle  of  Fotheringay  on  the  11th  of  November,  1586, 
presented  her  with  a  letter  from  Elizabeth,  commanding  her 
to  submit  to  a  trial  for  a  late  conspiracy.  The  principal 
charge  against  her  was  urged  by  serjeant  Gaudy,  who  ac- 
cused her.  with  knowing,  approving,  and  consenting  to 
Babington's  conspiracy.  This  charge  was  supported  by 
Babington's  confession,  and"  by  the  copies  which  were 
taken  of  their  correspondence,  in  which  her  approbation  of 
the  queen's  murder  was  expressly  declared. 

15.  Whatever  might  have  been  this  queen's  offences,  it 
is  certain  that  her  treatment  was  very  severe.  She  desired 
to  be  put  in  possession  of  such  notes  as  she  had  taken  pre- 
paratory to  her  trial ;  but  this  was  refused  her.  She  de- 
manded a  copy  of  her  protest;  but  her  request  was  not 
complied  with.  She  even  required  an  advocate  to  plead 
her  cause  against  so  many  learned  lawyers  as  had  under- 
taken to  urge  her  accusations ;  but  all  her  demands  were 
rtjected,  and  after  an  adjournment  of  some  days,  sentence 
of  death  was  pronounced  against  her  in  the  Star  Chamber 
in  Westminster,  all  the  commissioners  except  two  being 
present. 

Independent  of  the  affairs  of  Mary  queen  of  Scots,  the 
contents  of  this  section  are  barren  of  information.  It  must 
not,  however,  be  supposed,  that  a  period  of  eighteen  years  of 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth  afforded  no  matter  worthy  of  the 
notice  of  the  historian ;  and  we  shall  therefore  endeavour  to 
supply  the  deficiency  by  the  following  brief  chronological 
memoranda  : — On  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  1572,  a  dreadful 
massacre  of  the  Protestants  took  place  in  France ;  a  circum- 
stance which  proved  very  detrimental  to  the  Scottish  queen, 
as  many  of  her  adherents,  who  were  Protestants,  dreaded 
her  attachment  to  a  religion  that  allowed  its  votaries  to  em- 
ploy such  abominable  measures.  In  1573,  Elizabeth  found 
means,  by  economy,  without  imposing  any  additional  burdens 
on  her  subjects,  to  discharge,  with  interest,  not  only  all  the 


ELIZABETH.  187 

debts  she  had  incurred  in  her  reign,  but  those  of  Edward  VI. 
her  brother,  and  of  her  sister  Mary.  In  1574,  so  great  a 
dearth  prevailed  in  England,  that  wheat  sold  for  six  shillings 
a  bushel.  In  1577,  pocket-watches  were  first  brought  into 
England  from  Germany.  In  1579,  a  proclamation  was 
issued,  prohibiting  the  enlarging  of  the  city  of  London ;  to 
effect  which,  it  was  ordered  that  no  new  houses  should  be 
built  within  three  miles  of  the  gates  of  the  city.  In  the 
same  year  the  Turkey  Company  was  established.  In  1580, 
the  use  of  coaches  was  first  introduced  into  England  by  the 
earl  of  Arundel.  Before  that  time  the  queen,  on  public  occa- 
sions, rode  on  horseback  behind  her  chamberlain. 

In  the  year  1580,  also,  Francis  Drake,  the  first  English- 
man who  circumnavigated  the  globe,  returned  from  his 
voyage.  He  brought  home  with  him  immense  treasures, 
which  he  had  taken  from  the  Spaniards;  and  many  of  the 
English  courtiers,  dreading  the  Spanish  power,  advised  Eli- 
zabeth to  discountenance  the  gallant  adventurer.  But  the 
queen,  who  admired  valour,  and  was  allured  by  the  prospect 
of  sharing  the  booty,  conferred  on  him  the  honour  of  knight- 
hood, and  accepted  a  banquet  from  him  at  Deptford,  on  board 
the  ship  which  had  achieved  so  memorable  a  voyage. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Where  did  Mary  fly  after  her  defeat  at  Langside? 

2.  Where  was  she  confined  ? 

3.  Describe  the  character  of  the  duke  of  Norfolk. 

4.  Of  what  was  he  desirous  ? 

5.  What  were  the  designs  of  the  duke  of  Norfolk  ? 

6.  What  were  the  consequences  ? 

8.  What  conspiracy  was  now  formed  in  Mary's  favour  ? 
10.  By  what  means  was  Mary  informed  of  it  ? 
12.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  conspirators  ? 

14.  What  was  the  principal  charge  alleged  against  Mary  ? 

15.  What  favours  were  refused  her  previous  to  her  sentence  ? 


188  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

SECTION  III. 

_J~-~-    .  Dejected  pity  by  her  side, 

Her  soul-subduing  voice  applied.  —  Collins. 

1.  (A.  D.  1586.)  Whether  Elizabeth  was  really  sincere 
in  her  apparent  reluctance  to  execute  Mary,  is  a  question 
which,  though  usually  given  against  her,  I  will  not  take 
upon  me  to  determine.  Certainly  there  were  great  arts 
used  by  her  courtiers  to  incline  her  to  the  side  of  severity; 
as  they  had  every  thing  to  fear  from  the  resentment  of 
Mary  in  case  she  ever  succeeded  to  the  throne.  2.  Accord- 
ingly the  kingdom  was  now  filled  with  rumours  of  plots, 
treasons,  and  insurrections  ;  and  the  queen  was  continually 
kept  in  alarm  by  fictitious  dangers.  She,  therefore,  appeared 
to  be  in  great  terror  and  perplexity ;  she  was  observed  to 
sit  much  alone,  and  mutter  to  herself  half  sentences,  im- 
porting the  difficulty  and  distress  to  which  she  was  reduced. 
3.  In  this  situation  she  one  day  called  her  secretary,  Da- 
vison, whom  she  order  to  draw  out  secretly  the  warrant 
for  Mary's  execution,  informing  him  that  she  intended  keep- 
ing it  by  her,  in  case  any  attempt  should  be  made  for  the 
delivery  of  that  princess.  She  signed  the  warrant,  and 
then  commanded  it  to  be  carried  to  the  chancellor,  to  have 
the  seal  affixed  to  it.  4.  Next  morning,  however,  she  sent 
two  gentlemen  successively  to  desire  that  Davison  would 
not  go  to  the  chancellor  until  she  should  see  him:  but 
Davison  telling  her  that  the  warrant  had  been  already 
sealed,  she  seemed  displeased  at  his  precipitation.  Davison, 
who  probably  wished  himself  to  see  the  sentence  executed, 
laid  the  affair  before  the  council,  who  unanimously  resolved 
that  the  warrant  should  be  immediately  put  in  execution ; 
and  promised  to  justify  Davison  to  the  queen.  5.  Accord- 
ingly, the  fatal  instrument  was  delivered  to  Beale,  who 
summoned  the  noblemen  to  whom  it  was  directed ;  namely, 
the  earls  of  Shrewsbury,  Derby,  Kent,  and  Cumberland,  and 
these  together  set  out  for  Fotheringay-castle,  accompanied 
by  two  executioners,  to  despatch  their  bloody  commission. 

6.  Mary  heard  of  the  arrival  of  her  executioners,  who 
ordered  her  to  prepare  for  death  at  eight  o'clock  the  next 
morning.  Early  on  the  fatal  morning  she  dressed  herself 
in  a  rich  habit  of  silk  and  velvet,  the  only  one  which  she 
had  reserved  for  this  solemn  occasion.  Thomas  Andrews, 
the  under-sheriff  of  the  county,  then  entering  the  room,  he 
informed  her  that  the  hour  was  come,  and  that  he  must 


ELIZABETH.  1 89 

attend  her  to  the  place  of  execution.  7.  She  replied  that 
she  was  ready,  and  bidding  her  servants  farewell,  she  pro- 
ceeded, supported  by  two  of  her  guards,  and  followed  the 
sheriff  with  a  serene  composed  aspect,  with  a  long  veil  of 
linen  on  her  head,  and  in  her  hand  a  crucifix  of  ivory. 

8.  She  then  passed  into  another  hall,  the  noblemen  and 
the  sheriff  going  before,  and  Melvil,  her  master  of  the 
household,  bearing  up  her  train,  where  was  a  scaffold 
erected,  and  covered  with  black.  As  soon  as  she  was 
seated,  Beale  began  to  read  the  warrant  for  her  execution. 
Then  Fletcher,  dean  of  Peterborough,  standing  without  the 
rails,  repeated  a  long  exhortation,  which  she  desired  him  to 
forbear,  as  she  was  firmly  resolved  to  die  in  the  catholic 
religion.  The  room  was  crowded  with  spectators,  who 
beheld  her  with  pity  and  distress  ;  while  her  beauty,  though 
dimmed  by  age  and  affliction,  gleamed  through  her  sufferings, 
and  was  still  remarkable  in  this  fatal  moment.  9.  The  two 
executioners  kneeling,  and  asking  her  pardon,  she  said  she 
forgave  them,  and  all  the  authors  of  her  death,  as  freely  as 
she  hoped  for  forgiveness  from  her  Maker ;  and  then  once 
more  made  a  solemn  protestation  of  her  innocence.  Her 
eyes  were  then  covered  with  a  linen  handkerchief;  and  she 
laid  herself  down  without  any  fear  or  trepidation.  Then 
reciting  a  psalm,  and  repeating  a  pious  ejaculation,  her  head 
was  severed  from  her  body,  at  two  strokes,  by  the  execu- 
tioners. 

10.  Thus  perished  Mary,  in  the  forty-fifth  year  of  her  age, 
and  the  nineteenth  of  her  captivity  in  England.  She  was  a 
woman  of  great  accomplishments  ;  and  the  beauty  of  her 
person,  the  graces  of  her  air,  and  charms  of  her  conversa- 
tion, combined  to  make  her  one  of  the  most  amiable  of 
women,  and  to  produce  a  deep  impression  on  all  who  had 
intercourse  with  her.  She  was  ambitious  and  active  in  her 
temper,  yet  inclined  to  cheerfulness  and  society.  She  par- 
took sufficiently  of  manlike  virtues  to  give  her  vigour  in  the 
prosecution  of  her  purposes,  without  relinquishing  those  soft 
graces  which  compose  the  proper  ornament  of  her  sex. 
Such  indeed  were,  on  the  one  hand,  her  natural  advantages 
and  her  acquirements,  and  on  the  other  her  faults,  that  an 
enumeration  of  her  qualities  might  seem  to  be  a  panegyric, 
while  an  account  of  her  conduct  must,  in  some  parts,  wear 
the  aspect  of  severe  satire  and  invective. 

Her  numerous  misfortunes,  the  solitude  of  her  long  capti- 
vity, and  the  persecutions  to  which  she  had  been  exposed  on 


190  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

account  of  her  religion,  had  produced  in  her  a  degree  of 
bigotry  in  her  later  years  ;  and  such  were  the  prevalent  spirit 
and  principles  of  the  age,  that  we  need  not  wonder  if  her 
zeal,  her  resentment,  and  her  interest  uniting,  induced  her  to 
give  consent  to  a  design  which  conspirators,  actuated  by  the 
first  of  these  motives  only,  had  formed  against  the  life  of 
Elizabeth. 

In  contemplating  the  contentions  of  mankind,  we  find 
almost  ever  both  sides  culpable ;  Mary,  who  was  stained 
with  crimes  that  deserved  punishment,  was  put  to  death  by  a 
princess  who  had  no  just  pretensions  to  inflict  punishment 
on  her  equal. 

11.  In  the  mean  time,  Philip,  king  of  Spain,  who  had 
long  meditated  the  destruction  of  England,  and  whose  ex- 
tensive power  gave  him  grounds  to  hope  for  success,  now 
began  to  put  his  projects  into  execution.  The  point  on 
which  he  rested  his  glory,  and  the  perpetual  object  of  his 
schemes,  was  to  support  the  catholic  religion,  and  exter- 
minate the  reformation.  The  revolt  of  his  subjects  in  the 
Netherlands  still  more  inflamed  his  resentment  against  the 
English,  as  they  had  encouraged  that  insurrection,  and  as- 
sisted the  revolters.  He  had,  therefore,  for  some  time  been 
making  preparations  to  attack  England  by  a  powerful  in- 
vasion, and  now  every  part  of  his  vast  empire  resounded 
with  the  noise  of  armaments,  and  every  art  was  used  to 
levy  supplies  for  that  great  design. 

12.  The  marquis  of  Santa  Cruz,  a  sea-officer  of  great 
reputation  and  experience,  was  destined  to  command  the  fleet, 
which  consisted  of  a  hundred  and  thirty  vessels,  of  a  greater 
size  than  any  that  had  hitherto  been  seen  in  Europe.  The 
duke  of  Parma  was  to  conduct  the  land  forces,  twenty  thou- 
sand of  whom  were  on  board  the  fleet,  and  thirty-four  thou- 
sand more  were  assembled  in  the  Netherlands,  ready  to  be 
transported  into  England ;  no  doubt  was  entertained  of  this 
fleet's  success ;  and  it  was  ostentatiously  styled  the  Invin- 
cible Armada. 

13.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  terror  and  consternation 
which  all  ranks  of  people  felt  in  England  upon  the  news  of 
this  terrible  armada  being  under  sail  to  invade  them.  A 
fleet  of  not  above  thirty  ships  of  war,  and  those  very  small 
in  comparison,  was  all  that  was  to  oppose  it  at  sea  ;  and  as 
for  resisting  it  by  land,  that  was  supposed  to  be  impossible, 
as  the  Spanish  army  was  composed  of  men  well  disciplined, 
and  long  inured  to  danger. 


ELIZABETH.  191 

14.  Although  the  English  fleet  was  much  inferior  in  num- 
ber and  size  of  shipping  to  that  of  the  enemy,  yet  it  was 
much  more  manageable,  the  dexterity  and  courage  of  the 
mariners  being  greatly  superior.  Lord  Howard  of  Effing- 
ham, a  man  of  great  courage  and  capacity,  as  lord  admiral, 
took  upon  him  the  command  of  the  navy. 

15.  Drake,  Hawkins,  and  Frobisher,  the  most  renowned 
seamen  in  Europe,  served  under  him  ;  while  a  small  squad- 
ron, consisting  of  forty  vessels,  English  and  Flemish,  com- 
manded by  lord  Seymour,  lay  off  Dunkirk,  in  order  to 
intercept  the  duke  of  Parma.  This  was  the  preparation 
made  by  the  English ;  while  all  the  protestant  powers  in 
Europe  regarded  the  enterprise  as  the  critical  event  which 
was  to  decide  for  ever  the  fate  of  their  religion. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

2.  With  what  rumours  was  the  kingdom  filled  ? 

3.  What  orders  did  Elizabeth  give  to  her  secretary  ? 

5.  To  whom  was  the  warrant  of  Mary's  death  delivered  ? 

6,  7,  8.  Relate  the  particulars  of  her  execution. 
9.  What  was  her  behaviour  at  the  fatal  hour  ? 

11.  Who  now  meditated  the  destruction  of  England? 
What  was  the  chief  object  of  his  schemes  ? 

12.  Who  were  his  principal  officers  ? 

What  was  the  amount  of  the  Spanish  forces  ? 

13.  What  was  the  number  of  the  English  ships  ? 

14.  Who  commanded  them  ? 

15.  What  other  preparations  were  made  by  the  English  t 


192  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

SECTION  IV. 

Destruction  follows  where  her  flag  is  seen, 

And  haughty  Spaniards  stoop  to  Britain's  queen.— Anon. 

'  1.  (A.  D.  1588.)  In  the  mean  time,  while  the  Spanish 
armada  was  preparing  to  sail,  the  admiral  Santa  Cruz  died, 
as  likewise  the  vice-admiral  Palino ;  and  the  command  of 
the  expedition  was  given  to  the  duke  de  Medina  Sidonia,  a 
person  utterly  inexperienced  in  sea  affairs ;  and  this,  in 
some  measure,  served  to  frustrate  the  design.  But  some 
other  accidents  also  contributed  to  its  failure.  2.  Upon 
leaving  the  port  of  Lisbon,  the  armada  the  next  day  met 
with  a  violent  tempest,  which  sunk  several  of  the  smallest 
of  their  shipping,  and  obliged  the  fleet  to  put  back  into  har- 
bour. After  some  time  spent  in  refitting,  they  again  put  to 
sea ;  where  they  took  a  fisherman,  who  gave  them  intelli- 
gence that  the  English  fleet,  hearing  of  the  dispersion  of 
the  armada  in  a  storm,  had  retired  back  into  Plymouth  har- 
bour, and  most  of  the  mariners  were  discharged.  3.  From 
this  false  intelligence,  the  Spanish  admiral,  instead  of  going 
directly  to  the  coast  of  Flanders,  to  take  in  the  troops 
stationed  there,  as  he  had  been  instructed,  resolved  to  sail  for 
Plymouth,  and  destroy  the  shipping  laid  up  in  that  harbour. 
But  Effingham,  the  English  admiral,  was  very  well  prepared 
to  receive  them  ;  he  was  just  got  out  of  port  when  he  saw 
the  Spanish  armada  coming  full  sail  towards  him,  disposed 
in  the  form  of  a  half  moon,  and  stretching  seven  miles  from 
one  extremity  to  the  other.  4.  However,  the  English 
admiral,  seconded  by  Drake,  Hawkins,  and  Frobisher, 
attacked  the  armada  at  a  distance,  pouring  in  their  broad- 
sides with  admirable  dexterity.  They  did  not  choose  to  en- 
gage the  enemy  more  closely,  because  they  were  greatly 
inferior  in  the  number  of  ships,  guns,  and  weight  of  metal ; 
nor  could  they  pretend  to  board  such  lofty  ships  without 
manifest  disadvantage.  However  two  Spanish  galleons 
were  disabled  and  taken.  5.  As  the  armada  advanced  up 
the  channel,  the  English  still  followed,  and  infested  their 
rear;  and  their  fleet  continually  increasing  from  different 
ports,  they  soon  found  themselves  in  a  capacity  to  attack 
the  Spanish  fleet  more  nearly,  and  accordingly  fell  upon 
them  while  they  were  as  yet  taking  shelter  in  the  port  of 
Calais.  6.  To  increase  their  confusion,  Howard  took 
eight  of  his  smaller  ships,  and  filling  them  with  combustible 
materials,  sent  them,  as  if  they  had  been  fire-ships,  one 


ELIZABETH. 


lUS 


after  the  other,  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy.  The  Spaniards, 
taking  them  for  what  they  seemed  to  be,  immediately  took 
flight,  in  great  disorder ;  while  the  English,  profiting  by 
their  panic,  took  or  destroyed  about  twelve  of  the  enemy. 

7.  This  was  a  fatal  blow  to  Spain ;  the  duke  de  Medina 
Sidonia,  being  thus  driven  to  the  coast  of  Zealand,  held  a 
council  of  war,  in  which  it  was  resolved,  that,  as  their  am- 
munition began  to  fail,  as  their  ships  had  received  great 
damage,  and  the  duke  of  Parma  had  refused  to  venture  his 
army  under  their  protection,  they  should  return  to  Spain 
Tsy  sailing  round  the  Orkneys,  as  the  winds  were  contrary 
to  his  passage  directly  back.  8.  Accordingly  they  pro- 
ceeded northward,  and  were  followed  by  the  English  fleet 
as  far  as  Flamborough-head,  where  they  were  terribly  shat- 
tered by  a  storm.  Seventeen  of  the  ships,  having  five 
thousand  men  on  board,  were  afterwards  cast  away  on  the 
Western  isles,  and  the  coast  of  Ireland.  Of  the  whole 
armada,  three-and-fifty  ships  only  returned  to  Spain,  in  a 
miserable  condition ;  and  the  seamen,  as  well  as  soldiers, 
who  remained,  only  served  by  their  accounts  to  intimidate 
their  countrymen  from  attempting  to  renew  so  dangerous  an 
expedition. 

9.  From  being  invaded,  the  English,  in  their  turn,  attacked 
the  Spaniards.  Of  those  who  made  the  most  signal  figure 
in  the  depredations  upon  Spain,  was  the  young  earl  of  Essex, 
a  nobleman  of  great  bravery,  generosity,  and  genius;  and 
fitted  not  only  for  the  foremost  ranks  in  war  by  his  valour, 
but  to  eonduct  the  intrigues  of  a  court  by  his  eloquence  and 
address.  10.  In  all  the  masques  which  were  then  performed, 
the  earl  and  Elizabeth  were  generally  coupled  as  partners ; 
and  although  she  was  almost  sixty,  and  he  not  half  so  old, 
yet  her  vanity  overlooked  the  disparity ;  the  world  told  her 
she  was  young,  and  she  herself  was  willing  to  think  so. 
This  young  earl's  interest  in  the  queen's  affections,  as  may 
naturally  be  supposed,  promoted  his  interests  in  the  state  ; 
and  he  conducted  all  things  at  his  discretion.  11.  But, 
young  and  inexperienced  as  he  was,  he  at  length  began  to 
fancy  that  the  popularity  he  possessed,  and  the  flatteries  he 
received,  were  given  to  his  merits,  and  not  to  his  favour. 
In  a  debate  before  the  queen,  between  him  and  Burleigh, 
about  the  choice  of  a  governor  for  Ireland,  he  was  so  heated 
in  the  argument,  that  he  entirely  forgot  both  the  rules  and 
duties  of  civility.  12.  He  turned  his  back  on  the  queen  in 
a  contemptuous  manner,  which  so  provoked  her  resentment, 


194  HISTOKY    OF    ENGLAND. 

that  she  instantly  gave  him  a  box  on  the  ear.  Instead  of 
recollecting  himself,  and  making  the  submission  due  to  her 
sex  and  station,  he  clapped  his  hand  to  his  sword,  and  swore 
he  would  not  bear  such  usage  even  from  her  father.  This 
offence,  though  very  great,  was  overlooked  by  the  queen ; 
her  partiality  was  so  prevalent,  that  she  reinstated  him  in 
her  former  favour,  and  her  kindness  seemed  to  have  acquired 
new  force  from  that  short  interruption  of  anger  and  resent- 
ment. 13.  The  death  also  of  his  rival,  Lord  Burleigh, 
which  happened  shortly  after,  seemed  to  confirm  his  power. 
At  that  time  the  earl  of  Tyrone  headed  the  rebellious  na- 
tives of  Ireland  ;  who,  not  yet  thoroughly  brought  into  sub- 
jection by  the  English,  took  every  opportunity  to  make 
incursions  upon  the  more  civilized  inhabitants,  and  slew  all 
they  were  able  to  overpower.  14.  To  subdue  these  was  an 
employment  that  Essex  thought  worthy  of  his  ambition; 
nor  were  his  enemies  displeased  at  thus  removing  him  from 
court,  where  he  obstructed  all  their  private  aims  of  prefer 
ment.  But  it  ended  in  his  ruin.  Instead  of  attacking  the 
enemy  in  their  grand  retreat  in  Ulster,  he  led  his  forces  into 
the  province  of  Munster,  where  he  only  exhausted  his 
strength,  and  lost  his  opportunity  against  a  people  that  sub- 
mitted at  his  approach,  but  took  up  arms  when  he  retired. 
15.  This  issue  of  an  enterprise,  from  which  much  was  ex- 
pected, did  not  fail  to  provoke  the  queen  most  sensibly ; 
and  her  anger  was  still  more  heightened  by  the  peevish  and 
impatient  letters  which  he  daily  wrote  to  her  and  the  council. 
But  her  resentment  against  him  was  still  more  justly  let 
loose,  when  she  found,  that,  leaving  the  place  of  his  appoint- 
ment, and  without  any  permission  demanded  or  obtained, 
he  returned  from  Ireland,  to  make  his  complaints  to  herself 
in  person. 

16.  Though  Elizabeth  was  justly  offended,  yet  he  soon 
won  upon  her  temper  to  pardon  him.  He  was  now  ordered 
to  continue  a  prisoner  in  his  own  house  till  the  queen's  fur- 
ther pleasure  should  be  known,  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
discretion  of  a  few  months  might  have  reinstated  him  in  all 
his  former  employments  ;  but  the  impetuosity  of  his  cha- 
racter would  not  suffer  him  to  wait  for  a  slow  redress  of 
what  he  considered  as  wrongs  :  and  the  queen's  refusing  his 
vequest  to  continue  him  in  possession  of  a  lucrative  mono- 
poly of  sweet  wines,  which  he  had  long  enjoyed,  spurred 
him  on  to  the  most  violent  and  guilty  measures.  (A.D. 
1600.)     17.  Having  long  built  with  fond  credulity  on  his 


ELIZABETH.  195 

great  popularity,  he  began  to  hope,  from  the  assistance  of 
the  giddy  multitude,  that  revenge  upon  his  enemies  in  coun- 
cil, which  he  supposed  was  denied  him  from  the  throne. 
His  greatest  dependence  was  upon  the  professions  of  the 
citizens  of  London,  whose  schemes  of  religion  and  govern- 
ment he  appeared  entirely  to  approve ;  and  while  he  grati 
fied  the  puritans,  by  railing  at  the  government  of  the  church, 
he  pleased  the  envious,  by  exposing  the  faults  of  those  in 
power.  18.  Among  other  criminal  projects,  the  result  of 
blind  rage  and  despair,  it  was  resolved  that  sir  Christopher 
Blount,  one  of  his  creatures,  should,  with  a  choice  detach- 
ment, possess  himself  of  the  palace  gates  ;  that  sir  John 
Davis  should  seize  the  hall ;  sir  Charles  Danvers  the  guard- 
chamber;  while  Essex  himself  should  rush  in  from  the 
Mews,  attended  by  a  body  of  his  partisans,  into  the  queen's 
presence,  and  entreat  her  to  remove  his  and  her  enemies,  to 
assemble  a  new  parliament,  and  to  correct  the  defects  of  the 
present  administration. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

I,  2.  What  were  the  circumstances  that  contributed  to  retard  the  armada! 

4.  Describe  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  English. 

7,  8.  What  were  the  consequences  ? 

9.  What  was  the  character  of  the  earl  of  Essex  f 

12.  How  did  he  behave  to  the  queen  ? 

13.  What  expedition  did  he  undertake  ? 

14.  What  was  his  success  ? 

15, 16.  In  what  manner  did  he  increase  the  queen's  resentment? 

17.  From  whom  did  Essex  expect  assistance  ? 

18.  On  what  project  did  he  afterwards  resolve  ? 


SECTION  V. 

Raleigh,  with  hopes  of  new  discoveries  fired. 
And  all  the  depths  of  human  wit  inspired, 
Moved  o'er  the  western  world  in  search  of  fame. 
Adding  fresh  gJory  to  Elisa's  name.  —  Dr.  King 

1.  (A.  D.  1601.)  While  Essex  was  deliberating  upon 
the  manner  in  which  he  should  proceed,  he  received  a  pri- 
vate note,  by  which  he  was  warned  to  provide  for  his  own 
safety.  He  now,  therefore,  consulted  with  his  friend*, 
touching  the  emergency  of  their  situation  ;  they  were  desti- 
tute of  arms  and  ammunition,  while  the  guards  at  the  palace 
were  doubled,  so  that  any  attack  there  would  be  fruitless. 
2.  While  he  and  his  confidants  were  in  consultation,  a  per- 
son, probably  employed  by  his  enemies,  came  in  as  a  mes- 
senger from  the  citizens,  with  tenders  of  friendship  and 


106  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

assistance  against  all  his  adversaries.     Wild  as  the  projec 
was  of  raising  the  city  in  the  present  terrible  conjuncture,  it 
was  resolved  on  ;  but  the  execution  of  it  was  delayed  till 
the  day  following. 

8.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  he  was  attended 
by  his  friends  the  earls  of  Rutland  and  Southampton,  the 
lords  Sandes,  Parker,  and  Monteagle,  with  three  hundred 
persons  of  distinction.  The  doors  of  Essex-house  were  im- 
mediately locked,  to  prevent  all  strangers  from  entering ;  and 
the  earl  now  discovered  his  scheme  for  raising  the  city  more 
fully  to  all  the  conspirators.  In  the  mean  time,  sir  Walter 
Raleigh  sending  a  message  to  Ferdinando  Georges,  this 
officer  had  a  conference  with  him  in  a  boat  on  the  Thames, 
and  there  discovered  all  their  proceedings.  4.  The  earl  of 
Essex,  who  now  saw  that  all  was  to  be  hazarded,  resolved 
to  leave  his  house,  and  to  sally  forth  to  make  an  insurrec- 
tion in  the  city.  But  he  had  made  a  very  wrong  estimate 
in  expecting  that  popularity  alone  would  aid  him  in  time  of 
danger ;  he  issued  out  with  about  two  hundred  followers, 
armed  only  with  swords  ;  and  in  his  passage  to  the  city  was 
joined  by  the  earl  of  Bedford  and  lord  Cromwell.  5.  As 
he  passed  through  the  streets,  he  cried  aloud,  "  For  the 
queen  !  for  the  queen  !  a  plot  is  laid  for  my  life  ;"  hoping 
to  engage  the  populace  to  rise  ;  but  they  had  received  orders 
from  the  mayor  to  keep  within  their  houses ;  so  that  he  was 
not  joined  by  a  single  person.  6.  In  this  manner,  attended 
by  a  few  of  his  followers,  the  rest  having  privately  retired, 
he  made  towards  the  river ;  and,  taking  a  boat,  arrived  once 
more  at  Essex-house,  where  he  began  to  make  preparations 
for  his  defence.  But  his  case  was  too  desperate  for  any  re- 
medy from  valour ;  wherefore,  after  demanding  in  vain  for 
hostages  and  conditions  from  his  besiegers,  he  surrendered 
at  discretion,  requesting  only  civil  treatment  and  a  fair  and 
impartial  hearing. 

7.  Essex  and  Southampton  were  immediately  carried  to 
the  archbishop's  palace  at  Lambeth,  from  whence  they  were 
the  next  day  conveyed  to  the  Tower,  and  tried  by  the  peers 
on  the  nineteenth  of  February  following.  Little  could  be 
urged  in  their  defence  ;  their  guilt  was  too  flagrant  ;  and 
though  it  deserved  pity,  it  could  not  meet  an  acquittal. 
Essex,  after  condemnation,  was  visited  by  that  religious 
horror  which  seemed  to  attend  him  in  all  his  disgraces: 
He  was  terrified  almost  to  despair  by  the  ghostly  remon- 
strances of  his  own   chaplain  ;    he  was  reconciled  to  hi* 


ELIZABETH, 


197 


Queen  Elizabeth  signing  the  death-warrant  of  Essex. 

enemies,  and  made  a  full  confession  of  his  conspiracy 
8.  It  is  alleged  upon  this  occasion,  that  he  had  strong  hopes 
of  pardon  from  the  irresolution  which  the  queen  seemed  to 
discover  before  she  signed  the  warrant  for  his  execution. 
She  had  given  him  formerly  a  ring,  which  she  desired  him 
to  send  her  in  any  emergency  of  this  nature,  and  that  it 
should  procure  his  safety  and  protection.  This  ring  was 
actually  sent  by  the  countess  of  Nottingham,  who,  being  a 
concealed  enemy  to  the  unfortunate  earl,  never  delivered  it ; 
while  Elizabeth  was  secretly  fired  at  his  obstinacy  in  mak- 
ing no  application  for  mercy  or  forgiveness.  9.  The  fact 
is,  she  appeared  herself  as  much  an  object  of  pity  as  the 
unfortunate  nobleman  she  was  induced  to  condemn.  She 
signed  the  warrant  for  his  execution ;  she  countermanded 
it;  she  again  resolved  on  his  death,  and  again  felt  a  new 
return  of  tenderness.  At  last  she  gave  her  consent  to  his 
execution,  and  was  never  seen  to  enjoy  one  happy  day  more. 
10.  With  the  death  of  her  favourite  Essex,  all  Elizabeth's 
pleasures  seemed  to  expire  ;  she  afterwards  went  through 
the  business  of  the  state  merely  from  habit,  but  her  satisfac- 
tions were  no  more.  Her  distress  was  more  than  sufficient 
to  destroy  the  remains  of  her  constitution  ;  and  her  end  was 
now  visibly  seen  to  approach.  Her  voice  soon  after  left 
her;  she  fell  into  a  lethargic  slumber,  which  continued  some 
hours  ;  and  she  expired  gently,  without  a  groan,  in  the 

r2 


198  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

seventieth  year  of  her  age,  and  the  forty-fifth  of  her  reign, 
11.  Her  character  differed  with  her  circumstances ;  in  the 
beginning  she  was  moderate  and  humble  ;  towards  the  end 
of  her  reign  haughty  and  severe.  Though  she  was  possess 
ed  of  excellent  sense,  yet  she  never  had  the  discernment  to 
discover  that  she  wanted  beauty  ;  and  to  flatter  her  charms 
at  the  age  of  sixty-five  was  the  surest  road  to  her  favour  and 
esteem. 

12.  But  whatever  were  her  personal  defects,  as  a  queen 
she  is  ever  to  be  remembered  by  the  English  with  gratitude. 
It  is  true,  indeed,  that  she  carried  her  prerogative  in  parlia- 
ment to  its  highest  pitch,  so  that  it  was  tacitly  allowed  in 
that  assembly  that  she  was  above  all  laws,  and  could  make 
and  unmake  them  at  pleasure ;  yet  still  she  was  so  wise  and 
good  as  seldom  to  exert  that  power  which  she  claimed, 
and  to  enforce  few  acts  of  her  prerogative  which  were  not 
for  the  benefit  of  her  people.  13.  It  is  true,  in  like  manner, 
that  the  English,  during  her  reign,  were  put  in  possession 
of  no  new  or  splendid  acquisitions  ;  but  commerce  was  daily 
growing  up  among  them,  and  the  people  began  to  find  that 
the  theatre  of  their  truest  conquests  was  to  be  on  the  bosom 
of  the  ocean.  A  nation,  which  had  hitherto  been  the  object 
of  every  invasion,  and  a  prey  to  every  plunderer,  now  as- 
serted its  strength  in  turn,  and  became  terrible  to  its  invad- 
ers. 14.  The  successful  voyages  of  the  Spaniards  and  Por- 
tuguese began  to  excite  their  emulation,  and  they  planned 
several  expeditions  for  discovering  a  shorter  passage  to  the 
East  Indies.  The  famous  sir  Walter  Raleigh,  without  any 
assistance  from  government,  colonized  New  England,  while 
internal  commerce  was  making  equal  improvements  ;  and 
many  Flemings,  persecuted  in  their  native  country,  found, 
together  with  their  arts  and  industry,  an  easy  asylum  in 
England.  15.  Thus  the  whole  island  seemed  as  if  roused 
from  her  long  habits  of  barbarity  ;  arts,  commerce,  and  le- 
gislation began  to  acquire  new  strength  every  day  ;  and 
such  was  the  state  of  learning  at  that  time,  that  some  fixed 
that  period  as  the  Augustan  age  of  England.  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  and  Hooker  are  considered  as  among  the  first  im- 
provers of  our  language.  16.  Spenser  and  Shakspeare  are 
too  well  known  as  poets  to  be  praised  here  ;  but,  of  all  man- 
kind, Francis  Bacon,  lord  Verulam,  who  flourished  in  this 
reign,  deserves,  as  a  philosopher,  the  highest  applause  ;  his 
style  is  copious  and  correct,  and  his  wit  is  only  surpassed 
by  his  learning  and  penetration.     17.  If  we  look  through 


ELIZABETH. 


109 


history,  and  consider  the  rise  of  kingdoms,  we  shall  scarcely 
find  an  instance  of  a  people  becoming,  in  so  short  a  time, 
wise,  powerful,  and  happy.  Liberty,  it  is  true,  still  conti- 
nued to  fluctuate  ;  Elizabeth  knew  her  own  power,  and 
stretched  it  to  the  very  verge  of  despotism ;  but,  now  that 
commerce  was  introduced,  liberty  soon  after  followed ;  for 
there  never  was  a  nation  that  was  perfectly  commercial  that 
submitted  long  to  slavery. 


Questions  for  Examination, 
1.  What  project  did  Essex  resolve  on  for  raising  the  city  ? 
3,  4,  5.  How  did  he  proceed  to  effect  this  ? 
6,  7.  What  was  the  fate  of  Essex  and  Southampton  ? 

8.  What  induced  Essex  to  have  hopes  of  pardon? 

9.  What  was  Elizabeth's  conduct  on  this  occasion  ? 

10.  Did  ^Elizabeth  long  survive  the  death  of  her  favourite  ? 

11.  What  was  her  character  ? 

13.  What  was  the  political  condition  of  England  at  the  death  of  Elizabeth  ? 

14.  Did  any  important  events  take  place  during  her  reign  ? 

15.  What  was  the  state  of  learning  ?  and  what  eminent  men  flourished  at  thu 

time  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Paul  IV 1555 

Pius  IV 1559 

PiusV 1505 

Gregory  XIII 1572 

SextusV 1585 

Urban  VII 1590 

Gregory  XIV 1590 

Innocent  IX 1591 

Clement  VIII 1592 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Ferdinand  1 1558 

Maximilian  II 15G4 

Rodolphus  II 1576 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 
Solimanll 1520 


A.D. 

Selim  II 1566 

Amurathlll 1574 

Mahomet  III 1595 

Kings  of  France. 

Henry  II 1547 

Francis  II 1559 

Charles  IX 1560 

Henry  III 1574 

Henry  IV 1589 

King  of  Spain. 
Philip  II 1555 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

Sebastian 1557 

Henry 1579 


Union  of  Spain  and 
Portugal. 

A.D. 

Philip  II 1580 

Philip  III 1597 

Kings  of  Denmark. 

Christian  IV 1558 

Frederick  II 1559 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

EricX 1556 

John  III 1569 

Sigismund 1592 

Queen  and  King  of 
Scotland. 

Mary 1542 

James  VI 1567 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Shakspeare.    Spenser.    Bacon.    Sir  Philip  Sidney.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.* 
Sir  Francis  Drake.    Lord  Howard  of  Effingham.    Cecil,  lord  Burleigh.    Ro- 
bert Dudley,  earl  of  Leicester.    Sir  Martin  Frobisher.    Sir  John  Hawkma 
<fce.  &c. 

*  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  is  said  to  have  attracted  Elizabeth's  notice  by  a 
delicate  act  of  gallantry.  When  the  queen,  in  one  of  her  customary 
walks,  hesitated  about  passing  a  miry  spot,  Raleigh,  then  a  young  ad- 
venturer, threw  his  cloak  before  her  as  a  carpet.  He  was  immediately 
invited  to  court,  and  the  most  brilliant  prospects  began  to  open  before 
him. 


200  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
JAMES  I. 

Born  1566.    Died  March  27,  1625.    Began  to  reign  March  24,  1C03.    Reigned  22 
years  over  Great  Britain,  58  years  (nearly)  over  Scotland. 

Now  on  the  great  and  glorious  queen's  demise, 

The  Scottish  James  her  vacant  place  supplies; 

Uniting  into  one,  both  crowns  he  claims, 

And  them  conjunctively  Great  Britain  names.  —  Egerton. 

1.  (A.D.  1603.)  James  the  Sixth  of  Scotland,  and  the 
First  of  England,  the  son  of  Mary,  came  to  the  throne  with 
the  universal  approbation  of  all  orders  of  the  state,  as  in  his 
person  were  united  every  claim  that  either  descent,  bequest, 
or  parliamentary  sanction  could  confer.  However,  in  the 
very  beginning  of  his  reign,  a  conspiracy  was  set  on  foot, 
the  particulars  of  which  are  but  obscurely  related.  2.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  begun  by  lord  Grey,  lord  Cobham,  and 
sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  were  all  condemned  to  die,  but  had 
their  sentence  mitigated  by  the  king.  Cobham  and  Grey 
were  pardoned  after  they  had  laid  their  heads  on  the  block. 
Raleigh  was  reprieved,  but  remained  in  confinement  many 
years  afterwards,  and  at  last  suffered  for  his  offence,  which 
was  never  proved. 

3.  Mild  as  this  monarch  was  in  toleration,  there  was  a 
project  contrived  in  the  very  beginning  of  his  reign  for  the 
re-establishment  of  popery,  which,  were  it  not  a  fact  known 
to  all  the  world,  could  scarcely  be  credited  by  posterity. 
This  was  the  gunpowder  plot,  than  which  a  more  horrid  or 
terrible  scheme  never  entered  into  the  human  heart  to  con- 
ceive. 

4.  The  Roman  catholics  had  expected  great  favour  and 
indulgence  on  the  accession  of  James,  both  as  a  descendant 
of  Mary,  a  rigid  catholic,  and  also  as  having  shown  some 
partiality  to  that  religion  in  his  youth  ;  but  they  soon  disco- 
vered their  mistake,  and  were  at  once  surprised  and  enraged 
to  find  James,  on  all  occasions,  express  his  resolution  of 
strictly  exercising  the  laws  enacted  against  them,  and  of  per- 
severing in  the  conduct  of  his  predecessor.  This  declaration 
determined  them  upon  more  desperate  measures ;  and  they 
at  length  formed  a  resolution  of  destroying  the  king  and 
both  houses  of  parliament  at  a  blow.  The  scheme  was  first 
broached  by  Robert  Catesby,  a  gentleman  of  good  parts  and 
ancient  family  ;  who  conceived  that  a  train  of  gunpowder 


JAMES  I.  201 

might  be  so  placed  under  the  parliament-house  as  to  blow 
up  the  king  and  all  the  members  at  once. 

0.  How  horrid  soever  the  contrivance  might  appear,  yet 
every  member  seemed  faithful  and  secret  in  the  league  ;  and 
about  two  months  before  the  sitting  of  parliament,  they  hired 
a  house,  in  the  name  of  Percy,  adjoining  to  that  in  which 
the  parliament  was  to  assemble.  7.  Their  first  intention 
was  to  bore  a  way  under  the  parliament-house  from  that 
which  they  occupied,  and  they  set  themselves  labouring  at 
the  task  ;  but  when  they  had  pierced  the  wall,  which  was 
three  yards  in  thickness,  on  approaching  the  other  side,  they 
were  surprised  to  find  that  the  house  was  vaulted  underneath, 
and  that  a  magazine  of  coals  was  usually  deposited  there. 
8.  From  their  disappointment  on  this  account  they  were 
soon  relieved,  by  information  that  the  coals  were  then  sell- 
ing off,  and  that  the  vaults  would  then  be  let  to  the  highest 
bidder.  They  therefore  seized  the  opportunity  of  hiring 
the  place,  and  bought  the  remaining  quantity  of  coals  with 
which  it  was  then  stored,  as  if  for  their  own  use.  9.  The 
next  thing  done  was  to  convey  thither  thirty-six  barrels  of 
gunpowder,  which  had  been  purchased  in  Holland  ;  and  the 
whole  was  covered  with  coals  and  fagots,  bought  for  that 
purpose.  Then  the  doors  of  the  cellar  were  boldly  thrown 
open,  and  everybody  admitted  as  if  it  contained  nothing 
dangerous. 

10.  Confident  of  success,  they  now  began  to  plan  the  re- 
maining part  of  their  project.  The  king,  queen,  and  prince 
Henry,  the  king's  eldest  son,  were  all  expected  to  be  present 
at  the  opening  of  the  parliament.  The  king's  second  son, 
by  reason  of  his  tender  age,  would  be  absent,  and  it  was 
resolved  that  Percy  should  seize  or  assassinate  him.  The 
princess  Elizabeth,  a  child  likewise,  was  kept  at  lord  Har- 
rington's house  in  Warwickshire ;  and  sir  Everard  Digby 
was  to  seize  her,  and  immediately  proclaim  her  queen. 

11.  The  day  for  the  sitting  of  parliament  now  approached. 
Never  was  treason  more  secret,  or  ruin  more  apparently  in- 
evitable :  the  hour  was  expected  with  impatience,  and  the 
conspirators  gloried  in  their  meditated  guilt.  The  dreadful 
secret,  though  communicated  to  above  twenty  persons,  had 
been  inviolably  kept  during  the  spaee  of  a  year  and  a  half. 
When  all  the  motives  of  pity,  justice,  and  safety  were  too 
weak,  a  remorse  of  private  friendship  saved  the  kingdom. 

12.  Sir  Henry  Percy,  one  of  the  conspirators,  conceived 
i  design  of  saving  the  life  of  lord  Mounteagle,  his  intimate 


202  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

friend  and  companion,  who  also  was  of  the  same  persuasion 
with  himself.  About  ten  days  before  the  meeting  of  parlia- 
ment, this  nobleman,  upon  his  return  to  town,  received  a 
letter  from  a  person  unknown,  and  delivered  by  one  who 
fled  as  soon  as  he  had  discharged  his  message.  13.  The 
letter  was  to  this  effect :  "  My  lord,  stay  away  from  this 
parliament ;  for  God  and  man  have  concurred  to  punish  the 
wickedness  of  the  times.  And  think  not  slightly  of  this 
advertisement,  but  retire  yourself  into  your  country,  where 
you  may  expect  the  event  in  safety.  For  though  there  be 
no  appearance  of  any  stir,  yet  I  say  they  will  receive  a  ter- 
rible blow  this  parliament ;  and  yet  they  shall  not  see  who 
hurts  them.  This  counsel  is  not  to  be  condemned,  because 
it  may  do  you  good,  and  can  do  you  no  harm.  For  the 
danger  is  past  as  soon  as  you  have  burned  the  letter." 

14.  The  contents  of  this  mysterious  letter  surprised  and 
puzzled  the  nobleman  to  whom  it  was  addressed ;  and, 
though  inclined  to  think  it  a  foolish  attempt  to  affright  and 
ridicule  him,  yet  he  judged  it  safest  to  carry  it  to  lord  Salis 
bury,  secretary  of  state.  15.  Lord  Salisbury,  too,  was  in- 
clined to  give  little  attention  to  it,  yet  thought  proper  to  lay 
it  before  the  king  in  council,  who  came  to  town  a  few  days 
after.  None  of  the  council  were  able  to  make  any  thing  of 
it,  although  it  appeared  serious  and  alarming.  In  the  uni- 
versal agitation  between  doubt  and  apprehension,  the  king 
was  the  first  who  penetrated  the  meaning  of  this  dark  epistle. 
16.  He  concluded  that  some  sudden  danger  was  preparing 
by  gunpowder ;  and  it  was  thought  advisable  to  inspect  all 
the  vaults  below  the  houses  of  parliament.  This  care  be 
longed  to  the  earl  of  Suffolk,  lord  chamberlain,  who  pu- 
posely  delayed  the  search  till  the  day  before  the  meeting  of 
parliament,  November  5,  1605.  He  remarked  those  great 
piles  of  fagots  which  lay  in  the  vault  under  the  house  of 
peers,  and  seized  a  man  preparing  for  the  terrible  enterprise, 
dressed  in  a  cloak  and  boots,  with  a  dark  lantern  in  his 
hand.  17.  This  was  no  other  than  Guy  Fawkes,  who  had 
just  deposited  every  part  of  the  train  for  its  taking  fire  the 
next  morning,  the  matches  and  other  combustibles  being 
found  in  his  pockets.  The  whole  design  was  now  disco- 
vered;  but  the  atrociousness  of  his  guilt,  and  the  despair  of 
pardon,  inspiring  him  with  resolution,  he  told  the  officers  of 
justice,  with  an  undaunted  air,  that,  had  he  blown  them  and 
himself  up  together,  he  had  been  happy.  Before  the  coun- 
cil he  displayed  the  same  intrepid  firmness,  mixed  even  with 


JAMES    I.  203 


Seizure  of  Guy  Fawkes. 

scorn  and  disdain,  refusing  to  discover  his  associates,  a:iu 
showing  no  concern  but  for  the  failure  of  his  enterprise.  But 
his  bold  spirit  was  at  length  subdued  ;  being  confined  in  the 
Tower  for  two  or  three  days,  and  the  rack  just  shown  him, 
his  courage,  fatigued  with  so  long  an  effort,  at  last  failed 
him,  and  he  made  a  full  discovery  of  all  his  accomplices. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  succeeded  Elizabeth? 

2.  What  conspiracy  was  set  on  foot  at  the  commencement  of  this  reign  ? 

3.  What  project  was  contrived  for  the  re-establishment  of  popery  ? 
5.  By  whom  was  it  first  broached  ? 

6 — 9.  In  what  manner  was  the  project  endeavoured  to  be  carried  mto  effect « 

10.  Who  were  expected  to  be  present  at  the  opening  of  parliament  ? 

11.  To  how  many  persons  had  the  plot  been  revealed  ? 

12.  What  circumstance  saved  the  kingdom  ? 

13.  What  were  the  contents  of  Percy's  letter? 

15.  Who  was  the  first  to  discover  the  meaning  of  the  letter  ? 

16.  Can  you  relate  the  measures  taken  to  prevent  the  apprehended  danger  ? 

17.  What  was  the  name  of  the  person  engaged  in  this  enterprise?  and  what 

was  his  conduct  on  being  discovered  ? 


SECTION  II. 

Yet  Raleigh  left  a  deathless  name, 

To  learning  dear,  and  dear  to  fame. — Dibdin. 


1.  (A.  D.  1605)  Catesby,  Percy,  and  the  conspirators 
who  were  in  London,  hearing  that  Fawkes  was  arrested, 
fled  with   all   speed  to  Warwickshire,  where   Sir  Everard 


204  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Digby,  relying  on  the  success  of  the  plot,  was  already  in 
arms.  But  the  country  soon  began  to  take  the  alarm,  and 
wherever  they  turned,  they  found  a  superior  force  ready  to 
oppose  them.  2.  In  this  exigence,  beset  on  all  sides,  they 
resolved,  to  the  number  of  about  eighty  persons,  to  fly  no 
further,  but  to  make  a  stand  at  a  house  in  Warwickshire,  to 
defend  it  to  the  last,  and  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 
But  even  this  miserable  consolation  was  denied  them ;  a 
spark  of  fire  happening  to  fall  among  some  gunpowder  that 
was  laid  to  dry,  it  blew  up,  and  so  maimed  the  principal 
conspirators,  that  the  survivors  resolved  to  open  the  gate, 
and  sally  out  against  the  multitude  that  surrounded  the  house. 
3.  Some  were  instantly  cut  to  pieces ;  Catesby,  Percy,  and 
Winter,  standing  back  to  back,  fought  long  and  desperately, 
till  in  the  end  the  two  first  fell  covered  with  wounds,  and 
Winter  was  taken  alive.  Those  that  survived  the  slaughter 
were  tried  and  convicted ;  several  fell  by  the  hands  of  the 
executioner,  and  others  experienced  the  king's  mercy.  The 
jesuits,  Garnet  and  Oldcorn,  who  were  privy  to  the  plot, 
suffered  with  the  rest,  and,  notwithstanding  the  atrociousness 
of  their  treason,  Garnet  was  considered  by  his  party  as  a 
martyr,  and  miracles  were  said  to  have  been  wrought  by  his 
blood. 

4.  The  sagacity  with  which  the  king  first  discovered  the 
plot  raised  the  opinion  of  his  wisdom  among  the  people , 
but  the  folly  with  which  he  gave  himself  up  to  his  favour- 
ites quickly  undeceived  the  nation.  A.D.  1012.  In  the 
first  rank  of  these  stood  Robert  Carr,  a  youth  of  a  good 
family  in  Scotland,  who,  after  having  passed  some  time  in 
his  travels,  arrived  in  London,  at  about  twenty  years  of  age. 
All  his  natural  accomplishments  consisted  in  a  pleasing  vi- 
sage ;  and  all  his  acquired  abilities  in  an  easy  and  graceful 
demeanour. 

5.  This  youth  was  considered  as  a  most  rising  man  at 
court ,  he  was  knighted,  created  viscount  Rochester,  ho- 
noured with  the  order  of  the  garter,  made  a  privy  counsellor, 
and  to  raise  him  to  the  highest  pitch  of  honour,  he  was  at 
last  created  earl  of  Somerset. 

6.  This  was  an  advancement  which  some  regarded  with 
envy ;  but  the  wiser  part  of  mankind  looked  upon  it  with 
contempt  and  ridicule,  sensible  that  ungrounded  attachments 
are  seldom  of  long  continuance.  Some  time  after,  being 
accused  and  convicted,  from  private  motives,  of  poisoning 
sir  Thomas  Overburyin  the  Tower,  he  fell  under  the  king's 


JAMES   I.  205 

displeasure :  and  being  driven  from  court,  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  in  contempt  and  self-conviction. 

7.  But  the  king  had  not  been  so  improvident  as  to  part 
with  one  favourite  until  he  had  provided  himself  with  an- 
other. This  was  George  Villiers,  a  youth  of  one-and-twenty, 
the  younger  brother  of  a  good  family,  who  was  returned 
about  that  time  from  his  travels,  and  whom  the  enemies  of 
Somerset  had  taken  occasion  to  throw  in  the  king's  way, 
certain  that  his  beauty  and  fashionable  manners  would  do 
the  rest.  8.  Accordingly  he  had  been  placed  at  a  comedy 
full  in  the  king's  view,  and  immediately  caught  the  monarch's 
affections.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  he  was  created 
viscount  Villiers,  earl,  marquis,  and  dake  of  Buckingham, 
knight  of  the  garter,  master  of  the  horse,  chief  justice  in 
eyre,  warden  of  the  cinque  ports,  master  of  the  king's  bench 
office,  steward  of  Westminster,  constable  of  Windsor,  and 
lord  high  admiral  of  England. 

9.  The  universal  murmur  which  these  foolish  attachments 
produced  was  soon  after  heightened  by  an  act  of  severity, 
which  still  continues  as  the  blackest  stain  upon  this  mo- 
narch's memory.  The  brave  and  learned  Raleigh  had  been 
confined  in  the  Tower,  almost  from  the  very  beginning  of 
James's  accession,  for  a  conspiracy  which  had  never  been 
proved  against  him  ;  and  in  that  abode  of  wretchedness  he 
wrote  several  valuable  performances,  which  are  still  in  the 
highest  esteem.  10.  His  long  sufferings,  and  his  ingenious 
writings,  had  now  turned  the  tide  of  popular  opinion  in  his 
favour ;  and  they  who  once  detested  the  enemy  of  Essex, 
could  not  now  help  pitying  the  captivity  of  this  philosophi- 
cal soldier.  He  himself  still  struggled  for  freedom  ;  and 
perhaps  it  was  with  this  desire  that  he  spread  the  report  of 
his  having  discovered  a  gold  mine  in  Guiana,  which  was 
sufficient  to  enrich  not  only  the  adventurers  who  should 
seize  it,  but  afford  immense  treasures  to  the  nation.  11. 
The  king,  either  believing  his  assertions,  or  willing  to  subject 
him  to  further  disgrace,  granted  him  a  commission  to  try  his 
fortune  in  quest  of  these  golden  schemes  ;  but  still  reserved 
his  former  sentence  as  a  check  upon  his  future  behaviour. 

12.  Raleigh  was  not  long  in  making  preparations  for  this 
adventure,  which,  from  the  sanguine  manner  in  which  he 
carried  it  on,  many  thought  he  believed  to  be  as  promising 
as  he  described  it.  He  bent  his  course  to  Guiana,  and  re 
maining  himself  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Oronooko  with 
five  of  the  largest  ships,  he  sent  the  rest  up  the  stream,  under 

S 


206  HISTORY   OP    ENGLAND. 

the  command  of  his  son,  and  captain  Kemmis,  a  person  en 
tirely  devoted  to  his  interest.  13.  But  instead  of  a  country 
abounding  in  gold,  as  the  adventurers  were  taught  to  expect, 
they  found  the  Spaniards  had  been  warned  of  their  approach, 
and  were  prepared  in  arms  to  receive  them.  Young  Ra- 
leigh, to  encourage  his  men,  called  out  that  "  was  the  true 
mine,"  meaning  the  town  of  St.  Thomas,  which  he  was  ap- 
proaching ;  "  and  that  none  but  fools  looked  for  any  other ;" 
but  just  as  he  was  speaking  he  received  a  shot,  of  which  he 
immediately  expired.  This  was  followed  by  another  dis- 
appointment ;  for  when  the  English  took  possession  of  the 
town,  they  found  nothing  in  it  of  any  value. 

14.  Raleigh,  in  this  forlorn  situation,  found  now  that  all 
his  hopes  were  over  ;  and  saw  his  misfortunes  still  farther 
aggravated  by  the  reproaches  of  those  whom  he  had  under- 
taken to  command.  Nothing  could  be  more  deplorable  than 
his  situation,  particularly  when  he  was  told  that  he  must  be 
carried  back  to  England,  to  answer  for  his  conduct  to  the 
king.  15.  It  is  pretended  that  he  employed  many  artifices, 
first  to  engage  them  to  attack  the  Spanish  settlements  at  a 
time  of  peace,  and,  failing  of  that,  to  make  his  escape  into 
France.  But  all  of  those  proving  unsuccessful,  he  was  de- 
livered into  the  king's  hands,  and  strictly  examined,  as  well 
as  his  fellow-adventurers,  before  the  privy  council.  Count 
Gondemar,  the  Spanish  ambassador,  made  heavy  complaints 
against  the  expedition  ;  and  the  king  declared  that  Raleigh 
had  express  orders  to  avoid  all  disputes  and  hostilities 
against  the  Spaniards.  16.  Wherefore,  to  give  the  court  of 
Spain  a  particular  instance  of  his  attachment,  he  signed  the 
warrant  for  his  execution ;  not  for  the  present  offence,  but 
for  his  former  conspiracy.  This  great  man  died  with  the 
same  fortitude  he  had  testified  through  life  ;  he  observed, 
as  he  felt  the  edge  of  the  axe,  that  it  was  a  sharp  but  a  sure 
remedy  for  all  evils ;  his  harangue  to  the  people  was  calm 
and  eloquent ;  and  he  laid  his  head  down  on  the  block  with 
the  utmost  indifference. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  measures  were  taken  by  the  principal  conspirators  ? 

3.  What  was  their  fate  ? 

4.  Who  was  king  James's  first  favourite  ? 

6.  How  did  Somerset  fall  under  the  king's  displeasure? 

7.  Who  was  the  king's  next  favourite  ? 

8.  What  honours  did  he  confer  on  him  ? 

9  For  what  was  sir  Walter  Raleigh  confined  in  the  Tower  ? 


JAMES    I.  207 


JO.  What  report  did  Raleigh  spread  ? 
12—15.  Mention  the  particulars  relating  to  this  expedition. 
16.  What  was  the  fate  of  this  great  man  ? 
What  was  his  behaviour  at  his  execution  ? 


SECTION  II. 

Though  scorn'd  abroad,  bewilder'd  in  a  maze 

Of  fruitless  treaties,  while  at  home  enslaved, 

He  lost  his  people's  confidence  and  love.  —  Thomson 

1.  (A.D.  1618.)  But  there  soon  appeared  very  appa- 
rent reasons  for  James's  partiality  to  the  court  of  Spain. 
This  monarch  had  entertained  an  opinion  which  was  pecu- 
liar to  himself,  that  in  marrying  his  son  Charles,  the  prince 
of  Wales,  any  alliance  below  that  of  royalty  would  be  un- 
worthy of  him :  he,  therefore,  was  obliged  to  seek,  either 
in  the  court  of  France  or  Spain,  a  suitable  match,  and  he 
was  taught  to  think  of  the  latter.  2.  Gondemar,  who  was 
an  ambassador  from  the  court,  perceiving  this  weak  mo- 
narch's partiality  to  a  crowned  head,  made  an  offer  of  the 
second  daughter  of  Spain  to  prince  Charles  ;  and  that  he 
might  render  the  temptation  irresistible,  he  gave  hopes  of  an 
immense  fortune  which  should  attend  the  princess.  How- 
ever, this  was  a  negotiation  which  was  not  likely  soon  to 
be  ended  ;  and  from  the  time  the  idea  was  first  started,  James 
saw  five  years  elapse  without  bringing  the  treaty  to  any  kind 
of  conclusion. 

3.  A  delay  of  this  kind  was  very  displeasing  to  the  king, 
who  had  all  along  an  eye  on  the  great  fortune  of  the  prin- 
cess ;  nor  was  it  less  disagreeable  to  prince  Charles,  who, 
bred  up  with  the  ideas  of  romantic  passion,  was  in  love 
without  ever  seeing  the  object  of  his  affections.  In  this 
general  tedium  of  delay,  a  project  entered  the  head  of  Vil- 
liers,  who  had  for  some  years  ruled  the  king  with  absolute 
authority,  that  was  fitter  to  be  conceived  by  the  knight  of  a 
romance  than  by  a  minister  and  a  statesman.  4.  It  was 
projected  that  the  prince  should  himself  travel  in  disguise 
into  Spain,  and  visit  the  princess  of  that  country  in  person. 
Buckingham,  who  wanted  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the 
prince,  offered  to  be  his  companion  ;  and  the  king,  whose 
business  it  was  to  check  so  wild  a  scheme,  gave  his  consent 
to  this  hopeful  proposal.  5.  Their  adventures  on  this 
strange  project  would  fill  novels  ;  and  have  actually  been 
made  the  subject  of  many.  Charles  was  the  knight-errant, 
and  Buckingham  was  the  squire.     The   match,  however 


208  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

broke  off,  for  what  reason  historians  do  not  assign  ;  but,  if 
we  may  credit  the  novelists  of  that  time,  the  prince  had  al- 
ready fixed  his  affections  upon  the  daughter  of  Henry  IV 
of  France,  whom  he  married  shortly  after. 

6.  It  may  be  easily  supposed  that  these  mismanagements 
were  seen  and  felt  by  the  people.  The  house  of  commons 
was  become  by  this  time  quite  unmanagable  ;  the  prodigality 
of  James  to  his  favourites  had  made  his  necessities  so  many, 
that  he  was  contented  to  sell  the  different  branches  of  his 
prerogative  to  the  commons,  one  after  the  other,  to  procure 
supplies.  In  proportion  as  they  perceived  his  wants,  they 
found  out  new  grievances  ;  and  every  grant  of  money  was 
sure  to  come  with  a  petition  for  redress.  The  struggles  be- 
tween him  and  the  parliament  had  been  growing  more  and 
more  violent  every  session  ;  and  the  very  last  advanced  their 
pretensions  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  began  to  take  the 
alarm  :  but  these  evils,  which  the  weakness  of  this  monarch 
had  contributed  to  give  birth  to,  fell  upon  his  successor. 

7.  These  domestic  troubles  were  attended  by  others  still 
more  important  in  Germany,  and  which  produced  in  the  end 
most  dangerous  effects.  The  king's  eldest  daughter  had 
been  married  to  Frederic,  the  elector  palatine  of  Germany; 
and  this  prince,  revolting  against  the  emperor  Ferdinand  the 
Second,  was  defeated  in  a  decisive  battle,  and  obliged  to  take 
refuge  in  Holland.  8.  His  affinity  to  the  English  crown, 
his  misfortunes,  but  particularly  the  protestant  religion,  for 
which  he  had  contended,  were  strong  motives  to  the  people 
of  England  to  wish  well  to  his  cause  ;  and  frequent  ad- 
dresses were  sent  from  the  commons  to  induce  James  to  take 
a  part  in  the  German  contest,  and  to  replace  the  exiled 
prince  upon  the  throne  of  his  ancestors.  9.  James  at  first 
attempted  to  ward  off  the  misfortunes  of  his  son-in-law  by 
negotiation,  A.D.  1620  ;  but  this  proving  utterly  ineffectual, 
it  was  at  last  resolved  to  rescue  the  palatinate  from  the  empe- 
ror by  force  of  arms.  Accordingly,  war  was  declared 
against  Spain  and  the  emperor  ;  six  thousand  men  were 
sent  over  into  Holland,  to  assist  prince  Maurice  in  his 
schemes  against  those  powers  ;  the  people  were  every- 
where elated  at  the  courage  of  their  king,  and  were  satisfied 
with  any  war  which  was  to  exterminate  the  papists.  10. 
This  army  was  followed  by  another,  consisting  of  twelve 
thousand  men,  commanded  by  count  Mansfeldt;  and  the 
court  of  France  promised  its  assistance.  But  the  English 
were  disappointed  in.  all  their  views  ;  the  troops  being  em- 


JAMES    I. 


209 


barked  at  Dover,  upon  sailing  to  Calais  they  found  no  orders 
for  their  admission.  After  waiting  in  vain  for  some  time, 
they  were  obliged  to  sail  towards  Zealand,  where  no  proper 
measures  were  yet  concerted  for  their  disembarkation.  11. 
Meanwhile  a  pestilential  disease  crept  in  among  the  forces, 
so  long  cooped  up  in  narrow  vessels;  half  the  army  died 
while  on  board  ;  and  the  other  half,  weakened  by  sickness, 
appeared  too  small  a  body  to  march  into  the  palatinate  ;  and 
thus  ended  this  ill-concerted  and  fruitless  expedition. 

12.  Whether  this  misfortune  had  any  effect  upon  James's 
constitution  is  uncertain  ;  but  he  was  soon  after  seized  with 
a  tertian  ague,  which  when  his  courtiers  assured  him  from 
the  proverb  that  it  was  health  for  a  king;  he  replied,  that  the 
proverb  was  made  for  a  young  king.  A.D.  1625.  After 
some  fits  he  found  himself  extremely  weakened,  and  sent 
for  the  prince,  whom  he  exhorted  to  persevere  in  the  pro- 
testant  religion  ;  then,  preparing  with  decency  and  courage 
to  meet  his  end,  he  expired,  after  a  reign  over  England  of 
twenty-two  years,  and  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  were  the  reasons  for  James's  partiality  to  Spain  ? 

2.  What  offer  was  made  by  the  Spanish  ambassador? 

4.  What  project  was  formed  by  Villiers,  and  by  whom  was  it  undertaken  ? 

5.  What  was  its  success  ? 

6.  How  did  the  house  of  commons  act  towards  James? 

7 — 11.  Relate  the  circumstances  that  occurred  in  Germany. 
12.  fn  what  manner  did  the  king  conduct  himself  previously  to  his  death  ? 
How  long  did  he  reign  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.D. 

Clement  VIII 1592 

Leo  XI 1605 

Paul  III 1605 

Gregory  XV 1621 

Urban  VIII 1623 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Rodolphtwfl 1576 

Matthias  1 1612 

Ferdinand  II 1619 


Emperor  of  the  Turks. 

A.D. 

Achmetl 1603 

Mustapha  1 1617 

OsmanI 1618 

Mustapha  I.  restor- 
ed    1622 

AmurathlV 1623 

Kings  of  France. 

Henry  IV. 1589 

Louis  XIII 1610 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


Kings  of  Spain  and 
Portugal.        a.d 

Philip  III 1597 

Philip  IV 1621 

King  of  Denmark. 
Christian  IV 1588 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Sigismund 1592 

Charles  IX 1606 

GustavusII 1611 


Henry,  prince  of  Wales.  Carr,  earl  of  Somerset.  Villiers,  duke  of  Buck 
ingham.  Lord  chancellor  Bacon.  William  Shakspeare.  Sir  Walter  Ra 
leigh.  Sir  Hugh  Middleton.  Lord  chancellor  Maitland.  W.  A.  earl  of. 
Stirling.  Sir  M.  Kerr,  earl  of  Ancram.  J.  Hamilton,  earl  of  Haddington 
James,  duke  of  Hamilton.  Henry  Carey,  lord  Falkland.  G.  Calvert,  lord 
s2 


210  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

Baltimore.  Robert  Carey,  earl  of  Monmonth.  Sir  M.  Cecil,  earl  of  Salisbury 
Henry  Howard,  earl  of  Northampton.  Lord  chancellor  Ellesmere.  Sii 
Fulke  Greville,  lord  Brooke.  G.  Carew,  earl  of  Totnes.  W.  Herbert,  earl 
of  Pembroke.  Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  viscount  Dorchester  £.  Cecil,  viscount 
Wimbledon,  &c.  &c. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
CHARLES  I. 

Born  1600.    Died  January  30, 1649.    Began  to  reign  March  27, 1625.    Reigned 
23?  years. 

SECTION  I. 

The  monarch's  deeds  shall  large  allowance  claim, 
With  whom  too  often,  to  a  nation's  shame, 
Success  is  virtue  and  misfortune  blame.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.  1625.)  Few  princes  ever  ascended  the  throne 
with  more  apparent  advantages  than  Charles  ;  and  none  ever 
encountered  more  real  difficulties.  Indeed^  he  undertook 
the  reins  of  government  with  a  fixed  persuasion  that  his 
popularity  was  sufficient  to  carry  every  measure.  2.  He 
had  been  loaded  with  a  treaty  for  defending  the  prince 
palatine,  his  brother-in-law,  in  the  last  reign :  and  the  war 
declared  for  that  purpose  was  to  be  carried  on  with  vigour 
in  this.  But  war  was  more  easily  declared  than  supplies 
granted.  After  some  reluctance,  the  commons  voted  him 
two  subsidies ;  a  sum  far  from  being  sufficient  to  support 
him  in  his  intended  equipment. 

3.  To  supply  the  want  of  parliamentary  aid,  Charles  had 
recourse  to  some  of  the  ancient  methods  of  extortion,  prac- 
tised by  sovereigns  when  in  necessitous  circumstances. 
That  kind  of  tax  called  a  benevolence  was  ordered  to  be 
exacted,  and  privy  seals  were  issued  accordingly.  With 
this  the  people  were  obliged,  though  reluctantly,  to  comply; 
it  was  in  fact  authorized  by  many  precedents ;  but  no  pre- 
cedent whatsoever  could  give  a  sanction  to  injustice. 

4.  After  an  ineffectual  expedition  to  Cadiz,  another  at- 
tempt was  made  to  obtain  supplies  in  a  more  regular  and 
constitutional  manner  than  before.  Another  parliament  was 
accordingly  called ;  and  though  some  steps  were  taken  to 
exclude  the  more  popular  leaders  of  the  last  house  of  com- 
mons, by  nominating  them  as  sheriffs  of  counties,  yet  the 
present  parliament  seemed  more  refractory  than  the  former 


CHARLES    I.  211 

6.  When  the  king  laid  before  the  house  his  necessities,  and 
asked  for  a  supply,  they  voted  him  only  three  subsidies, 
which  amounted  to  about  sixty  thousand  pounds ;  a  sum  no 
way  adequate  to  the  importance  of  the  war,  or  the  necessities 
of  the  state.  In  order,  therefore,  to  gain  a  sufficient  supply, 
a  commission  was  openly  granted  to  compound  with  the 
catholics,  and  agree  for  a  dispensation  of  the  penal  laws 
against  them.  He  borrowed  a  sum  of  money  from  the  no- 
bility, whose  contributions  came  in  but  slowly.  6.  But  the 
greatest  stretch  of  his  power  was  in  the  levying  of  ship- 
money.  In  order  to  equip  a  fleet  (at  least  this  was  the 
pretence  made),  each  of  the  maritime  towns  was  required, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  adjacent  counties,  to  arm  as  many 
vessels  as  were  appointed  them.  The  city  of  London  was 
rated  at  twenty  ships.  This  was  the  commencement  of  a 
tax,  which  afterwards,  being  carried  to  such  violent  lengths, 
created  such  discontents  in  the  nation. 

7.  War  being  soon  after  declared  against  France,  a  fleet 
was  sent  out,  under  the  command  of  Buckingham,  to  relieve 
Rochelle,  a  maritime  town  in  that  kingdom,  that  had  long 
enjoyed  its  privileges,  independent  of  the  French  king  ;  but 
that  had  for  some  time  embraced  the  reformed  religion,  and 
now  was  besieged  with  a  formidable  army.  This  expedition 
was  as  unfortunate  as  that  to  the  coast  of  Spain.  8.  The 
duke's  measures  were  so  ill  concerted,  that  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city  shut  their  gates,  and  refused  to  admit  allies,  of 
whose  coming  they  were  not  previously  informed.  Instead 
of  attacking  the  island  of  Oleron,  which  was  fertile  and  de- 
fenceless, he  bent  his  course  to  the  isle  of  Rhe,  which  was 
garrisoned  and  well  fortified.  He  attempted  there  to  starve 
out  the  garrison  of  St.  Martin's  castle,  which  was  plentifully 
supplied  with  provisions  by  sea.  9.  By  that  time  the  French 
had  landed  their  forces  privately  at  another  part  of  the  island  : 
so  that  Buckingham  was  at  last  obliged  to  retreat,  but  with 
such  precipitation,  that  two-thirds  of  his  army  were  cut  to 
pieces  before  he  could  re-embark,  though  he  was  the  last 
man  of  the  whole  army  that  quitted  the  shore.  10.  This 
proof  of  his  personal  courage,  however,  was  but  a  small 
subject  of  consolation  for  the  disgrace  which  his  country 
had  sustained,  for  his  own  person  would  have  been  the  last 
they  would  have  regretted. 

11.  The  contest  between  the  king  and  the  commons  every 
day  grew  warmer.  The  officers  of  the  custom-house  were 
summoned  before  the  commons,  to  give  an  account  by  wha 


212  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

authority  they  seized  the  goods  of  the  merchants  who  had 
refused  to  pay  the  duty  of  tonnage  and  poundage,  which 
they  alleged  was  levied  without  the  sanction  of  law.  The 
barons  of  the  exchequer  were  examined  concerning  their 
decrees  on  that  head  ;  and  the  sheriff  of  London  committed 
to  the  Tower  for  his  activity  in  supporting  the  custom-house 
officers.  12.  These  were  bold  measures  ;  but  the  commons 
went  still  further,  by  a  resolution  to  examine  into  religious 
grievances,  and  a  new  spirit  of  intolerance  began  to  appear, 
A.  D.  1629.  The  king,  therefore,  resolved  to  dissolve  a 
parliament  which  he  found  himself  unable  to  manage ;  and 
sir  John  Finch,  the  speaker,  just  as  the  question  concerning 
tonnage  and  poundage  was  going  to  be  put,  rose  up,  and 
informed  the  house  that  he  had  a  command  from  the  king 
to  adjourn. 

13.  The  house  upon  this  was  in  an  uproar;  the  speaker 
was  pushed  back  into  his  chair,  and  forcibly  held  in  it  by 
Hollis  and  Valentine,  till  a  short  remonstrance  was  framed, 
and  passed  by  acclamation  rather  than  vote.  In  this  hasty 
production,  papists  and  Arminians  were  declared  capital 
enemies  to  the  state  ;  tonnage  and  poundage  were  condemned 
as  contrary  to  the  law ;  and  not  only  those  who  raised  that 
duty,  but  those  who  paid  it,  were  considered  as  guilty  of 
capital  crimes. 

14.  In  consequence  of  this  violent  procedure,  sir  Miles 
Hobart,  sir  Peter  Haymen,  Selden,  Coriton,  Long,  and 
Strode,  were,  by  the  king's  order,  committed  to  prison, 
under  pretence  of  sedition.  But  the  same  temerity  that 
impelled  Charles  to  imprison  them,  induced  him  to  grant 
them  a  release.  15.  Sir  John  Elliot,  Hollis,  and  Valentine 
were  summoned  before  the  king's  bench ;  but  they  refusing 
to  appear  before  an  inferior  tribunal  for  faults  committed  in 
a  superior,  were  condemned  to  be  imprisoned  during  the 
king's  pleasure ;  the  two  former  to  pay  a  fine  of  a  thousand 
pounds  each,  and  the  latter  five  hundred,  and  to  find  sureties 
for  their  good  behaviour.  The  members  triumphed  in  their 
sufferings,  while  they  had  the  whole  kingdom  as  spectators 
and  applauders  of  their  fortitude. 

16.  In  the  mean  time,  while  the  king  was  thus  distressed 
by  the  obstinacy  of  the  commons,  he  felt  a  much  severer 
blow  by  the  death  of  his  favourite,  the  duke  of  Buckingham, 
who  fell  a  sacrifice  to  his  unpopularity.  17.  It  had  been 
resolved  once  more  to  undertake  the  raising  of  the  siege  of 
ltochelle ;  and  the  earl  of  Denbigh  brother-in-law  to  Buck 


CHARLES    I.  213 

ingham,  was  sent  thither,  but  returned  without  effecting  any- 
thing. In  order  to  repair  this  disgrace,  the  duke  of  Buck- 
ingham went  in  person  to  Portsmouth  to  hurry  on  another 
expedition,  and  to  punish  such  as  had  endeavoured  to  de- 
fraud the  crown  of  the  legal  assessments.  18.  In  the  general 
discontent  that  prevailed  against  that  nobleman,  it  was  daily- 
expected  that  some  severe  measures  would  be  resolved  on  ; 
and  he  was  stigmatized  as  the  tyrant  and  betrayer  of  his 
country.  There  was  one  Felton,  who  caught  the  general 
contagion, — an  Irishman  of  a  good  family,  who  had  served 
under  the  duke  as  lieutenant,  but  had  resigned,  on  being 
refusecNhis  rank  on  the  death  of  his  captain,  who  had  been 
killed  at  the  isle  of  Rhe.  19.  This  man  was  naturally  me- 
lancholy, courageous,  and  enthusiastic  ;  he  felt  for  the  coun- 
try, as  if  labouring  under  a  calamity  which  he  thought  it  in 
the  power  of  his  single  arm  to  remove.  He,  therefore,  re- 
solved to  kill  the  duke,  and  thus  revenge  his  own  private  in- 
juries, while  he  did  service  also  to  God  and  man.  20.  Ani- 
mated in  this  manner  with  gloomy  zeal  and  mistaken 
patriotism,  he  travelled  down  to  Portsmouth  alone,  and 
entered  the  town  while  the  duke  was  surrounded  by  his 
levee,  and  giving  out  the  necessary  orders  for  embarkation. 
While  he  was  speaking  to  one  of  his  colonels,  Felton  struck 
him  over  an  officer's  shoulder  in  the  breast  with  his  knife. 

21.  The  duke  had  only  time  to  say,  "  The  villain  has  killed 
me ;"  when  he  fell  at  the  colonel's  feet,  and  instantly  ex- 
pired. No  one  had  seen  the  blow,  nor  the  person  who 
gave  it ;  but  a  hat  being  picked  up,  on  the  inside  of  which 
was  sewed  a  paper  containing  four  or  five  lines  of  the  re- 
monstrance of  the  commons  against  the  duke,  it  was 'con- 
cluded that  this  hat  must  belong  to  the  assassin  ;  and  while 
they  were  employed  in  conjectures  whose  it  should  be,  a 
man  without  a  hat  was  seen  walking  very  composedly 
before  the  door,  and  was  heard  to  cry  out,  "  I  am  he  !" 

22.  He  disdained  denying  a  murder  in  which  he  gloried ; 
and  averred  that  he  looked  upon  the  duke  as  an  enemy  to 
his  country,  and,  as  such,  deserving  to  suffer.  When  asked 
at  whose  instigation  he  had  perpetrated  that  horrid  deed,  he 
answered  that  they  need  not  trouble  themselves  in  that  in- 
quiry :  that  his  conscience  was  his  only  prompter,  and  that 
no  man  on  earth  could  dispose  him  to  act  against  its  dictates 
He  suffered  with  the  same  degree  of  constancy  to  the  last ; 
nor  were  there  many  wanting,  who  admired  not  only  his 
fortitude,  but  the  action  for  which  he  suffered 


214  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

Questions  for  Examination, 
1.  Who  succeeded  James? 

3—6.  What  methods  were  taken  to  procure  supplies  ? 
iT  «?u  ^^  S1ic?ess  attended  Buckingham's  expedition  to  France  ? 
ii'  wu     foIIowed  the  contest  between  the  king  and  the  commons  ? 
\f  tI   tt  "P1"031*  was  excited  by  the  king's  command  to  adjourn ? 
14,  lo.  Under  what  pretence  did  the  king  send  many  of  the  members  to 

prison  ? 
17— 21.  Relate  the  circumstances  which  attended  the  assassination  of  the 

duke  of  Buckingham. 
22.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  assassin  ? 


SECTION  II.  * 

/  When  civil  dudgeon  first  grew  high, 

And  men  fell  out,  they  knew  not  why.  —  Butler. 

1.  (A.D.  1627.)  The  king's  first  measure,  now  being 
eft  without  a  minister  and  a  parliament,  was  a  prudent  one 
He  made  a  peace  with  the  two  crowns  against  whom  he  had 
hitherto  waged  war,  which  had  been  entered  upon  without 
necessity,  and  conducted  without  glory.  2.  Being  freed 
from  these  embarrassments,  he  bent  his  whole  attention  to 
the  management  of  the  internal  policy  of  the  kingdom,  and 
took  two  men  as  his  associates  in  this  task,  who  still  acted 
an  under  part  to  himself.  These  were,  sir  Thomas  Went- 
worth,  afterwards  created  earl  of  Strafford;  and  Laud,  after- 
wards archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

3.  While  Laud,  therefore,  during  this  long  interval,  ruled 
the  church,  the  king  and  Strafford  undertook  to  manage  the 
temporal  interests  of  the  nation.  A  declaration  was  dis- 
persed, implying  that  during  this  reign  no  more  parliaments 
would  be  summoned ;  and  every  measure  of  the  king  but 
too  well  served  to  confirm  the  suspicion. 

4.  Tonnage  and  poundage  were  continued  to  be  levied  by 
royal  authority  alone ;  custom-house  officers  received  orders 
from  the  council  to  enter  any  house  whatever,  in  search  of 
suspected  goods :  compositions  were  openly  made  with 
papists,  and  their  religion  was  become  a  regular  part  of  the 
revenue.  5.  The  high  commission  court  and  the  court  of 
the  star-chamber  exercised  their  power,  independent  of  any 
law,  upon  several  bold  innovators  in  liberty,  who  only 
gloried  in  their  sufferings,  and  contributed  to  render  govern 
ment  odious  and  contemptible.  Prynne,  a  barrister  at  Lin- 
coln's-Inn ;  Burton,  a  divine  ;  and  Bastwick,  a  physician  ; 
were  tried  before  this  tribunal  for  schismatical  libels,  in 
which  they  attacked,  with  great  severity  and  intemperate 


CHARLES  I.  215 

zeal,  the  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  England.  They  were 
condemned  to  be  pilloried,  to  lose  their  ears,  and  to  pay  five 
thousand  pounds  to  the  king. 

6.  Every  year,  every  month,  every  day,  gave  fresh  in- 
stances, during  this  long  intermission  of  parliaments,  of  the 
resolution  of  the  court  to  throw  them  off  for  ever ;  but  the 
levying  of  ship-money,  as  it  was  called,  being  a  general 
burden,  was  universally  complained  of  as  a  national  griev- 
ance. This  was  a  tax  which  had,  in  former  reigns,  been 
levied  without  the  consent  of  parliament,  but  then  the 
exigency  of  the  state  demanded  such  a  supply.  7.  John 
Hampden,  a  gentleman  of  fortune  in  Buckinghamshire,  re- 
fused to  comply  with  the  tax,  and  resolved  to  bring  it  to  a 
legal  determination.  He  had  been  rated  at  twenty  shillings 
for  his  estate,  which  he  refused  to  pay ;  and  the  case  was 
argued  twelve  days  in  the  exchequer  chamber,  before  all 
the  judges  of  England.  8.  The  nation  regarded,  with  the 
utmost  anxiety,  the  result  of  a  trial  that  was  to  fix  the  limits 
of  the  king's  power.  All  the  judges,  four  only  excepted, 
gave  sentence  in  favour  of  the  crown ;  while  Hampden, 
who  lost  his  cause,  was  more  than  sufficiently  recompensed 
by  the  applause  of  the  people. 

9.  The  discontent  and  opposition  which  the  king  met 
with,  in  maintaining  episcopacy  among  his  English  subjects, 
might,  one  would  think,  hinder  him  from  attempting  to  in- 
troduce it  among  those  of  Scotland,  where  it  was  generally 
hateful.  Having  published  an  order  for  reading  the  liturgy 
in  the  principal  church  in  Edinburgh,  the  people  received  it 
with  clamours  and  imprecations.  10.  The  seditious  disposi- 
tion in  that  kingdom,  which  had  hitherto  been  kept  within 
bounds,  was  now  too  furious  for  restraint,  and  the  insurrec- 
tion became  general  over  all  the  country,  and  the  Scots  flew 
to  arms  with  great  animosity. 

11.  Yet  still  the  king  could  not  think  of  desisting  from 
his  design  ;.  and  so  prepossessed  was  he  in  favour  of  royal 
right,  that  he  thought  the  very  name  of  king,  when  forcibly 
urged,  would  induce  them  to  return  to  their  duty.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  fighting  with  his  opponents,  he  entered  upon  a 
treaty  with  them  ;  so  that  a  suspension  of  arms  was  soon 
agreed  upon,  and  a  treaty  of  peace  concluded,  which 
neither  side  intended  to  observe ;  and  then  both  parties 
agreed  to  disband  their  forces.  After  much  altercation,  and 
many  treaties  signed  and  broken,  both  parties  had  recourse 


216  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

once  more  to  arms,  and  nothing  but  blood  could  satiate  the 
contenders. 

12.  War  being  thus  resolved  on,  the  king  took  every 
method  as  before  for  raising  money  to  support  it.  Ship- 
money  was  levied  as  usual ;  some  other  arbitrary  taxes 
were  exacted  from  the  reluctant  people  with  great  severity ; 
but  these  Were  far  from  being  sufficient ;  and  there  now  re- 
mained only  one  method  more,  the  long-neglected  method 
of  a  parliamentary  supply. 

13.  The  new  house  of  commons,  however,  could  not  be 
induced  to  treat  the  Scots,  who  were  of  the  same  principles 
with  themselves,  and  contending  against  the  same  ceremo- 
nies, as  enemies  of  the  state.  They  regarded  them  as 
friends  and  brothers,  who  first  rose  to  teach  them  a  duty  it 
was  incumbent  on  all  virtuous  minds  to  imitate.  The 
king,  therefore,  could  reap  no  other  fruits  from  this  assem- 
bly than  murmurings  and  complaints.  14.  Every  method 
he  had  taken  to  supply  himself  with  money  was  declared 
an  abuse,  and  breach  of  the  constitution.  The  king,  there- 
fore, finding  no  hopes  of  a  compliance  with  his  requests, 
but  recrimination  instead  of  redress,  once  more  dissolved 
the  parliament,  to  try  the  most  feasible  methods  of  removing 
his  necessities. 

15.  His  necessities,  however,  continuing,  that  parliament 
was  called,  which  did  not  cease  sitting  till  they  overturned 
the  constitution.  Without  any  interval  they  entered  upon 
business,  and  by  unanimous  consent,  they  struck  a  blow  that 
might  be  regarded  as  decisive.  Instead  of  granting  the 
demand  of  subsidies,  they  impeached  the  earl  of  Strafford, 
the  king's  first  minister,  and  had  him  arraigned  before  the 
house  of  peers  for  high-treason.  16.  After  a  long  and  elo- 
quent speech,  delivered  without  premeditation,  in  which  he 
confuted  all  the  accusations  of  his  enemies,  he  was  found 
guilty  by  both  houses  of  parliament ;  and  nothing  remained 
but  for  the  king  to  give  his  consent  to  the  bill  of  attainder. 
Charles,  who  loved  Strafford  tenderly,  hesitated,  and  seemed 
reluctant,  trying  every  expedient  to  put  off  so  dreadful  a 
duty  as  that  of  signing  the  warrant  for  his  execution.  17. 
While  he  continued  in  this  agitation  of  mind,  not  knowing 
how  to  act,  his  doubts  were  at  last  silenced  by  an  act  of 
neroic  bravery  in  the  condemned  lord.  He  received  a  lettei 
from  that  unfortunate  nobleman,  desiring  that  his  life  mighf 
be  made  the  sacrifice  of  mutual  reconciliation  between  the 


CHARLES  I.  217 

king  and  the  people ;  adding,  that  he  was  prepared  to  die, 
and  to  a  willing  mind  there  could  be  no  injury.  18.  This 
instance  of  noble  generosity  was  but  ill  repaid  by  his  mas- 
ter, who  complied  with  his  request.  He  consented  to  sign 
the  fatal  bill  by  commission ;  Strafford  was  beheaded  on 
Tower-hill,  behaving  with  all  that  composed  dignity  of  re- 
solution that  was  expected  from  his  character. 

19.  In  this  universal  rage  for  punishment,  the  parlia- 
ment fell  with  great  justice  on  two  courts,  which  had  been 
erected  under  arbitrary  kings,  and  had  seldom  been  em- 
ployed but  in  cases  of  necessity.  These  were,  the  high 
commission  court,  and  the  court  of  star-chamber.  A  bill 
unanimously  passed  the  houses  to  abolish  both  ;  and  in 
them  to  annihilate  the  principal  and  most  dangerous  articles 
in  the  king's  prerogative. 

20.  In  the  midst  of  these  troubles  an  insurrection  in  the 
northern  counties  of  Ireland,  accompanied  by  several  acts 
of  atrocious  cruelty,  excited  great  alarm  throughout  the 
empire.  The  insurgents  might  have  been  easily  subdued, 
but  the  king's  deputies  in  Ireland,  eager  to  make  their 
fortunes  by  trading  in  confiscations,  averred,  that  all  the 
catholics  in  the  kingdom  were  involved  in  the  guilt  of  this 
rebellion,  and  by  wicked  arts  changed  the  local  disturbance 
into  a  general  civil  war.  Many  wanton  murders  were  com- 
mitted on  both  sides ;  religious  zeal  added  bitterness  to 
political  animosity ;  the  hatred  of  heresy  by  one  party,  and 
of  popery  by  the  other,  led  men  to  perpetrate  and  palliate 
crimes  shocking  to  human  nature.  The  war  lasted  several 
years  ;  four  hostile  parties  had  armies  in  Ireland,  the  native 
Irish,  the  descendants  of  the  early  settlers,  usually  called 
*'  the  lords  of  the  pale,"  the  royalists,  and  the  puritans, 
who  supported  the  supremacy  of  the  English  parliament. 
The  last  party,  though  infinitely  the  weakest,  finally  tri- 
umphed by  taking  advantage  of  the  dissensions  and  errors 
of  the  other  three. 

21.  The  king,  aware  that  he  was  already  suspected  of  a 
secret  attachment  to  popery,  and  that  the  northern  Irish 
pretended  to  have  his  authority  for  taking  up  arms,  used 
every  means  in  his  power  to  put  down  the  rebellion.  But 
he  was  no  longer  able  to  effect  this  desirable  object,  the 
native  Irish  and  the  lords  of  the  pale,  frequently  deceived 
before,  would  not  trust  the  royal  promises  ;  Parsons  and 
Borlase,  the  lords  justices  of  Ireland,  refused  to  obey  the 
king's  commands  ;  and  the  English  parliament  gladly  used 


218  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

the  Irish  war  as  a  pretext  for  levying  soldiers  ;  for  every- 
one now  clearly  foresaw  that  the  disputes  between  the  king 
and  the  parliament  must  finally  be  decided  by  the  sword. 
Many  insinuations  were  thrown  out  that  he  had  himself 
fomented  this  rebellion,  and  no  money  could  be  spared  for 
the  extinction  of  distant  dangers,  when  they  pretended  that 
the  kingdom  was  threatened  with  greater  at  home. 

It  was  now  that  the  republican  spirit  began  to  appear 
without  any  disguise  in  the  present  parliament ;  and  that 
party,  instead  of  attacking  the  faults  of  the  king,  resolved 
to  destroy  monarchy. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  was  the  king's  first  measure  after  Buckingham's  death? 

2,  3.  By  whom  was  the  king  assisted  in  his  government? 

4.  In  what  manner  did  the  custom-house  officers  exact  taxes  ? 

5.  What  is  said  respecting  the  court  of  star-chamber? 

6.  What  tax  was  the  most  generally  complained  of? 

7.  8.  By  whom  was  the  tax  of  ship-money  opposed  ?  and  what  were  the 

consequences  ? 
9 — 12.  What  produced  an  insurrection  in  Scotland,  and  afterwards  war? 
13.  How  were  the  Scotch  regarded  by  the  new  parliament? 
15.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  next  parliament  ? 
16 — 18.  Describe  the  particulars  of  the  trial  and  death  of  the  earl  of  Straflbid 

19.  What  were  the  next  proceedings  of  parliament  ? 

20.  What  insurrection  took  place  in  Ireland  ? 

21.  How  was  the  king  treated  by  his  parliament  on  this  occasion  ? 
What  spirit  now  openly  manifested  itself? 


SECTION  in. 

The  son  and  father  loose  mild  nature's  ties, 

And  by  a  brother's  hand  a  brother  dies.  —  Egerton. 

1.  (A.D.  1641.)  The  leaders  of  opposition  began  their 
operations  by  a  resolution  to  attack  episcopacy,  which 
was  one  of  the  strongest  bulwarks  of  the  royal  power.  They 
accused  thirteen  bishops  of  high-treason,  for  enacting  ca- 
nons without  the  consent  of  parliament ;  and  endeavoured 
to  prevail  upon  the  house  of  peers  to  exclude  all  the  prelates 
from  their  seats  and  votes  in  that  august  assembly.  The 
bishops  saw  the  storm  that  was  gathering  against  them ;  and, 
probably  to  avert  its  effects,  they  resolved  to  attend  their 
duty  in  the  house  of  lords  no  longer. 

2.  This  was  a  fatal  blow  to  the  royal  interest ;  but  i-t 
soon  felt  a  much  greater  from  the  king's  own  imprudence. 
Charles   had   long   suppressed  his   resentment,   and   only 


CHARLES    I.  219 

strove  to  satisty  the  commons  by  the  greatness  of  his  con- 
cessions ;  but,  finding  that  all  his  compliances  had  but  in- 
creased their  demands,  he  could  no  longer  restrain  it.  3. 
He  gave  orders  to  Herbert,  his  attorney-general,  to  enter  an 
accusation  of  high-treason  in  the  house  of  peers  against  lord 
Kimbolton,  one  of  the  most  popular  men  of  his  party,  to- 
gether with  five  commoners  ;  sir  Arthur  Haslerig,  Hollis, 
Hampden,  Pym,  and  Strode.  4.  The  articles  were,  that 
they  had  traitorously  endeavoured  to  subvert  the  fundamen- 
tal laws  and  government  of  the  kingdom ;  to  deprive  the 
king  of  his  regal  power,  and  to  impose  on  his  subjects  an 
arbitrary  and  tyrannical  authority.  Men  had  scarcely  lei- 
sure to  wonder  at  the  precipitancy  and  imprudence  of  his 
impeachment,  when  they  were  astonished  by  another  mea- 
sure, still  more  rash  and  unsupported.  5.  The  next  day  the 
king  himself  was  seen  to  enter  the  house  of  commons  alone, 
advancing  through  the  hall,  while  all  the  members  stood  up 
to  receive  him.  The  speaker  withdrew  from  the  chair,  and 
the  king  took  possession  of  it.  Having  seated  himself,  and 
having  looked  around  for  some  time,  he  told  the  house  that 
he  was  sorry  for  the  occasion  that  had  forced  him  thither ; 
that  he  was  come  in  person  to  seize  the  members  whom  he 
had  accused  of  high-treason,  seeing  they  would  not  deliver 
them  up  to  his  serjeant-at-arms.  He  then  sat  down  for 
some  time,  to  see  if  the  accused  were  present ;  but  they  had 
escaped  a  few  minutes  before  his  entry. 

6.  Thus  disappointed,  perplexed,  and  not  knowing  on 
whom  to  rely,  he  next  proceeded,  amidst  the  clamours  of 
the  populace,  who  continued  to  cry  out  "  Privilege !  privi- 
lege !"  to  the  common-council  of  the  city,  and  made  his 
complaints  to  them.  The  common-council  only  answered 
his  complaints  with  a  contemptuous  silence  ;  and  on  his 
return,  one  of  the  populace,  more  insolent  than  the  rest, 
cried  out,  "  To  your  tents,  O  Israel !"  a  watch-word 
among  the  Jews,  when  they  intended  to  abandon  their 
princes. 

7.  Being  returned  to  Windsor,  he  began  to  reflect  on  the 
rashness  of  his  former  proceedings,  and  now,  too  late,  re- 
solved to  make  some  atonement.  He,  therefore,  wrote  to 
the  parliament,  informing  them  that  he  desisted  from  his 
former  proceedings  against  the  accused  members  ;  arid  as- 
sured them  that  upon  all  occasions  he  would  be  as  careful 
of  their  privileges  as  of  his  life  or  his  crown.  Thus  his 
former   violence   had   rendered  him   hateful   tc   his   com 


220  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

mons,  and  his  present  submission  now  rendered  him  con- 
temptible. 

8.  The  power  of  appointing  generals  and  levying  armies 
was  still  a  remaining  prerogative  of  the  crown.  The  com- 
mons having,  therefore,  first  magnified  their  terrors  of  po- 
pery, which  perhaps  they  actually  dreaded,  they  proceeded 
to  petition  that  the  Tower  might  be  put  into  their  hands, 
and  that  Hull,  Portsmouth,  and  the  fleet  should  be  intrusted 
to  persons  of  their  choosing.  These  were  requests,  the 
complying  with  which  levelled  all  that  remained  of  the  an- 
cient constitution  ;  however,  such  was  the  necessity  of  the 
times,  that  they  were  first  contested,  and  then  granted.  9. 
At  last,  every  compliance  only  increased  the  avidity  of  mak- 
ing fresh  demands;  the  commons  desired  to  have  a  militia, 
raised  and  governed  by  such  officers  and  commanders  as 
they  should  nominate,  under  pretext  of  securing  them  from 
the  Irish  papists,  of  whom  they  professed  to  be  in  great 
apprehensions. 

10.  It  was  here  that  Charles  first  ventured  to  put  a  stop 
to  these  concessions,  and  being  urged  to  give  up  the  com- 
mand of  the  army  for  an  appointed  time,  he  was  so  exas- 
perated that  he  exclaimed,  "  No,  not  for  an  hour."  This 
preremptory  refusal  broke  off  all  further  treaty ;  and  both 
sides  were  resolved  to  have  recourse  to  arms. 

11.  No  period  since  England  began  could  show  so  many 
instances  of  courage,  abilities,  and  virtue,  as  the  present 
fatal  opposition  called  forth  into  exertion,  A.D.  1G42.  Now 
was  the  time  when  talents  of  all  kinds,  unchecked  by  au- 
thority, were  called  from  the  lower  ranks  of  life,  to  dispute 
for  power  and  pre-eminence. 

12.  Manifestos  on  the  one  side  and  the  other  were  now 
dispersed  throughout  the  whole  kingdom ;  and  the  people 
were  universally  divided  between  two  factions,  distinguished 
by  the  names  of  cavaliers  and  roundheads.  The  king's 
forces  appeared  in  a  very  low  condition ;  besides  the  trained 
bands  of  the  country,  raised  by  sir  John  Digby,  the  sheriff, 
he  had  not  got  together  three  hundred  infantry.  13.  His 
cavalry,  which  composed  his  chief  strength,  exceeded  not 
eight  hundred,  and  were  very  ill  provided  with  arms.  How- 
ever, he  was  soon  gradually  reinforced  from  all  quarters  ; 
but  not  being  then  in  a  condition  to  face  his  enemies,  he 
thought  it  prudent  to  retire  by  slow  marches  to  Derby,  and 
thence  to  Shrewsbury,  in  order  to  countenance  the  levies 
which  his  friends  were  making  in  those  quarters. 


CHARLES    I.  221 

14.  In  the  mean  time  the  parliament  was  not  remiss  in 
preparations  on  their  side.  They  had  a  magazine  of  arms 
at  Hull,  and  sir  John  Hotham  was  appointed  governor  of 
that  place  by  government.  The  forces  also,  which  had  been 
everywhere  raised  on  pretence  of  the  service  of  Ireland, 
were  now  more  openly  enlisted  by  the  parliament  for  their 
own  purposes,  and  the  command  given  to  the  earl  of  Essex, 
a  bold  man,  who  rather  desired  to  see  monarchy  abridged 
than  totally  destroyed  ;  and  in  London  no  less  than  four 
thousand  men  were  enlisted  in  one  day. 

15.  Edge-hill  was  the  first  place  where  the  two  armies 
were  put  in  array  against  each  other,  and  the  country 
drenched  in  civil  slaughter.  It  was  a  dreadful  sight  to  see 
above  thirty  thousand  of  the  bravest  men  in  the  world,  in- 
stead of  employing  their  courage  abroad,  turning  it  against 
each  other,  while  the  dearest  friends  and  nearest  kinsmen 
embraced  opposite  sides,  and  prepared  to  bury  their  private 
regards  in  factious  hatred.  After  an  engagement  of  some 
hours,  animosity  seemed  to  be  wearied  out,  and  both  sides 
separated  with  equal  loss.  Five  thousand  men  are  said  to 
have  been  found  dead  on  the  field  of  battle. 


Questions  for  Examination 

1.  What  was  the  first  act  of  the  leaders  of  the  opposition? 

By  what  means  did  the  bishops  avert  the  impending  storm  ? 

2,  3.  What,  was  the  king's  conduct  on  this  occasion  ? 

4.  What  were  the  articles  of  impeachment? 

5.  How  did  the  king  conduct  himself  when  he  went  to  the  house  of  com- 
mons? 

6.  How  did  the  common-council  afterwards  receive  him  ? 

7.  What  were  the  consequences  of  his  rashness  ? 

8.  9.  What  were  the  next  demands  of  the  commons? 

10.  On  what  occasion  did  the  king  stop  all  further  concessions  ? 
What  was  the  result  ? 

12.  By  what  names  were  the  contending  parties  distinguished  ? 

13.  In  what  situation  were  the  king's  forces? 

14.  What  preparations  did  the  parliament  make  ? 

15.  Where  did  the  armies  first  meet  1 
What  was  the  issue  of  the  battle  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

To  live  with  Freedom  or  to  die  with  Fame.  —  Day. 

1.  (A.  D.)  1643.)  It  would  be  tedious,  and  no  way  in- 
structive, to  enter  into  the  marchings  and  counter-marching* 
of  these  undisciplined  and  ill-conducted  armies;    war  was 

t2 


222  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

a  new  trade  to  the  English,  as  they  had  not  seen  a  hostile 
engagement  in  the  island  for  nearly  a  century  before.  The 
queen  came  to  reinforce  the  royal  party ;  she  had  brought 
soldiers  and  ammunition  from  Holland,  and  immediately 
departed  to  furnish  more.  2.  But  the  parliament,  who  knew 
its  own  consequence  and  strength,  was  no  way  discouraged. 
Their  demands  seemed  to  increase  in  proportion  to  their 
losses  ;  and  as  they  were  repressed  in  the  field,  they  grew 
more  haughty  in  the  cabinet.  Such  governors  as  gave  up 
their  fortresses  to  the  king  were  attainted  of  high-treason. 
3.  It  was  in  vain  for  the  king  to  send  proposals  after  any 
success ;  this  only  raised  their  pride  and  their  animosity. 
But  though  this  desire  in  the  king  to  make  peace  with  his 
subjects  was  the  highest  encomium  on  his  humanity ;  yet 
his  long  negotiations,  one  of  which  was  carried  on  at  Ox- 
ford, were  faulty  as  a  warrior.  He  wasted  that  time  in  al- 
tercation and  treaty,  which  he  should  have  employed  in 
vigorous  exertions  in  the  field. 

4.  However,  his  first  campaign,  upon  the  whole,  wore  a 
favourable  aspect.  One  victory  followed  after  another  ; 
Cornwall  was  reduced  to  peace  and  obedience  under  the 
Hng  ;  a  victory  was  gained  over  the  parliamentarians  at 
Stratton-hill,  in  Cornwall ;  another  at  Roundway  Down, 
about  two  miles  from  Devizes  ;  and  a  third  at  Chalgrave 
Field.  Bristol  was  besieged  and  taken,  and  Gloucester 
was  invested  ;  the  battle  of  Newbury  was  favourable  to  the 
royal  cause  ;  and  great  hopes  of  success  were  formed  from 
an  army  in  the  north,  raised  by  the  marquis  of  Newcastle. 

5.  In  this  first  campaign,  the  two  bravest  and  greatest 
men  of  their  respective  parties  were  killed ;  as  if  it  was  in- 
tended, by  the  kindness  of  Providence,  that  they  should  be 
exempted  from  seeing  the  miseries  and  the  slaughter  which 
were  shortly  to  ensue  ;  these  were  John  Hampden,  and 
Lucius  Cary,  lord  Falkland.  The  first  in  a  skirmish  against 
prince  Rupert ;  the  other  in  the  battle  of  Newbury,  which 
followed  shortly  after. 

6.  Hampden,  whom  we  have  seen,  in  the  beginning  of 
these  troubles,  refusing  to  pay  the  ship-money,  gained,  by 
his  inflexible  integrity,  the  esteem  even  of  his  enemies.  To 
these  he  added  affability  in  conversation,  temper,  art,  elo- 
quence in  debate,  and  penetration  in  council. 

7.  Falkland  was  still  a  greater  loss,  and  greater  character. 
He  added  to  Hampden's  severe  principles  a  politeness  and 
elegance  but  then  beginning  to  be  known  in  England.     He 


CHARLES  I.  22$ 

had  boldly  withstood  the  king's  pretensions  while  he  saw 
him  making  a  bad  use  of  his  power  ;  but,  when  he  per- 
ceived the  design  of  the  parliament  to  overturn  the  religion 
and  the  constitution  of  the  country,  he  changed  his  side,  and 
steadfastly  attached  himself  to  the  crown.  8.  From  the  be- 
ginning of  the  civil  war,  his  natural  cheerfulness  and  vivacity 
forsook  him  ;  he  became  melancholy,  sad,  pale,  and  negli- 
gent of  his  person,  and  seemed  to  wish  for  death.  His 
usual  cry  among  his  friends,  after  a  deep  silence  and  fre- 
quent sighs,  was,  "  Peace  !  peace !"  He  now  said,  upon 
the  morning  of  the  engagement,  that  he  was  weary  of  the 
times,  and  should  leave  them  before  night.  He  was  shot 
by  a  musket-ball  in  the  chest ;  and  his  body  was  next  morn- 
ing found  among  a  heap  of  slain.  His  writings,  his  ele- 
gance, his  justice,  and  his  courage  deserved  each  a  death 
of  glory  ;  and  they  found  it. 

9.  The  king,  that  he  might  make  preparations  during  the 
winter  for  the  ensuing  campaign,  and  to  oppose  the  designs 
of  the  Westminster  parliament,  called  one  at  Oxford ;  and 
this  was  the  first  time  that  England  saw  two  parliaments 
sitting  at  the  same  time.  His  house  of  peers  was  pretty 
•full;  his  house  of  commons  consisted  of  about  one  hundred 
and  forty,  which  amounted  to  not  above  half  of  the  other 
house  of  commons.  From  this  shadow  of  a  parliament  he 
received  some  supplies,  after  which  it  was  prorogued,  and 
never  after  assembled. 

10.  In  the  mean  time,  the  parliament  were  equally  active 
on  their  side.  They  passed  an  ordinance  commanding  all  the 
inhabitants  of  London  and  its  neighbourhood  to  retrench  a 
meal  a  week,  and  to  pay  the  value  of  it  for  the  support  of  the 
public  cause.  11.  But,  what  was  more  effectual,  the  Scots, 
who  considered  their  claims  as  similar,  led  a  strong  body  to 
their  assistance.  They  levied  an  army  of  fourteen  thousand 
men  in  the  east  under  the  earl  of  Manchester ;  they  had  an 
army  of  ten  thousand  men  under  Essex  ;  another,  of  nearly 
the  same  force,  under  sir  William  Waller.  These  were  su- 
perior to  any  force  the  king  could  bring  into  the  field ;  and 
were  well  appointed  with  ammunition,  provisions,  and  pay. 

12.  Hostilities,  which  even  during  the  winter  season  had 
never  been  wholly  discontinued,  were  renewed  in  spring 
with  their  usual  fury,  and  served  to  desolate  the  kingdom, 
without  deciding  victory.  A. D.  1644.  Each  county  joined 
that  side  to  which  it  was  addicted  from  motives  of  convic- 
tion, interest,  or  fear,  though  some  observed  a  perfect  neu- 


224  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

trality.  Several  frequently  petitioned  for  peace  ;  and  all  the 
wise  and  good  were  earnest  in  the  cry.  13.  What  particu- 
larly deserves  remark  was  an  attempt  of  the  women  of 
London,  who,  to  the  number  of  two  or  three  thousand,  went 
in  a  body  to  the  house  of  commons,  earnestly  demanding  a 
peace — "  Give  us  those  traitors,"  said  they,  "  that  are 
against  a  peace  :  give  them,  that  we  may  tear  them  to 
pieces."  The  guards  found  some  difficulty  in  quelling  this 
insurrection,  and  one  or  two  women  lost  their  lives  in  the 
affray. 

14.  The  battle  of  Marston  Moor  was  the  beginning  of  the 
king's  misfortunes  and  disgrace.  The  Scots  and  parlia- 
mentarian army  had  joined,  and  were  besieging  York,  when 
prince  Rupert,  joined  by  the  marquis  of  Newcastle,  deter- 
mined to  raise  the  siege.  Both  armies  drew  up  on  Marston 
Moor,  to  the  number  of  fifty  thousand,  and  the  victory 
seemed  long  undecided  between  them.  15.  Rupert,  who 
commanded  the  right  wing  of  the  royalists,  was  opposed  by 
Oliver  Cromwell,  who  now  first  came  into  notice,  at  the 
head  of  a  body  of  troops  which  he  had  taken  care  to  levy 
and  discipline.  Cromwell  was  victorious ;  he  pushed  his 
opponants  off  the  field,  followed  the  vanquished,  returned 
to  a  second  engagement,  and  a  second  victory  ;  the  prince's 
whole  train  of  artillery  was  taken,  and  the  royalists  never 
after  recovered  the  blow. 

16.  William  Laud,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  sent 
to  the  Tower  in  the  beginning  of  the  civil  war.  He  was 
now  brought  to  his  trial,  condemned,  and  executed.  And  it 
was  a  melancholy  consideration,  that  in  those  times  of  trou- 
ble, the  best  men  on  either  side  were  those  who  chiefly  suf- 
fered. 

17.  The  death  of  Laud  was  followed  by  a  total  alteration 
of  the  ceremonies  of  the  church.  The  liturgy  was,  by  a 
public  act,  abolished  the  day  he  died,  as  if  he  had  been  the 
only  obstacle  to  its  formal  removal.  The  church  of  England 
was,  in  all  respects,  brought  to  a  conformity  to  the  puritani- 
cal establishment;  while  the  citizens  of  London,  and  the 
Scots  army,  gave  public  thanks  for  so  happy  an  alteration 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  reinforced  the  royal  party? 

2.  What  courage  did  the  parliament  display  ? 

4,  5.  In  the  first  campaign,  where  were  the  principal  battles  fought  ? 
6.  Describe  the  character  of  Hampden 
7   Describe  the  character  of  Falkland. 


CHARLES    I.  225 

8.  How  was  his  death  occasioned  ? 

9.  Where  did  the  king  summon  a  parliament  ?  and  what  were  their  pro- 

ceedings ? 

10.  What  ordinance  was  now  passed  ? 

11.  What  other  measures  were  taken  in  opposition  to  the  king  ? 

12.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  kingdom  ? 

13.  What  earnest  desire  for  peace  did  the  women  of  London  discover  ? 

14.  15.  Describe  the  particulars  of  the  battle  of  Marston  Moor. 

16.  What  was  the  fate  of  archbishop  Laud? 

17.  What  followed  his  execution  ? 


SECTION  V. 

Guile,  violence,  and  murder  seized  on  man. 

And,  for  milky  streams,  with  biood  the  rivers  ran. —  Thomson, 

1.  (A.D.  1645.)  The  well-disputed  battle,  which  decided 
the  fate  of  Charles,  was  fought  at  Naseby,  a  village  in 
Northamptonshire.  The  main  body  of  the  royal  army  was 
commanded  by  lord  Astley  ;  prince  Rupert  led  the  right 
wing,  sir  Marmaduke  Langdale  the  left,  and  the  king  him- 
self headed  the  body  of  reserve.  2.  On  the  opposite  side, 
Fairfax  and  Skippon  commanded  the  main  body,  Cromwell 
led  on  the  right  wing,  and  Ireton,  his  son-in-law,  the  left. 
Prince  Rupert  attacked  the  left  wing  with  his  usual  impetu- 
osity and  success  ;  they  were  broken,  and  pursued  as  far  as 
the  village  ;  but  he  lost  time  in  attempting  to  make  himself 
master  of  their  artillery.  3.  Cromwell,  in  the  mean  time,  was 
equally  successful  on  his  side,  and  broke  through  the  enemy's 
horse,  after  a  very  obstinate  resistance.  While  these  were 
thus  engaged,  the  infantry  on  both  sides  maintained  the  conflict 
with  equal  ardour,  but  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  Fairfax  and 
Skippon,  their  battalions  began  to  give  way.  At  this  cri- 
tical period,  Cromwell  returned  with  his  victorious  forces, 
and  charged  the  king's  infantry  in  flank  with  such  vigour, 
that  a  total  rout  began  to  ensue.  4.  By  this  time  prince 
Rupert  had  rejoined  the  king,  and  the  small  body  of  reserve : 
but  his  troops,  though  victorious,  could  not  be  brought  to  a 
second  charge.  The  king,  perceiving  the  battle  wholly 
lost,  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  field  to  his  enemies,  who 
took  all  his  cannon,  baggage,  and  about  fifty  thousand  pri- 
soners. 

5.  The  battle  of  Naseby  put  the  parliamentarians  in  pos- 
session of  almost  all  the  strong  cities  of  the  kingdom,  Bris- 
tol, Bridgewater,  Chester,  Sherborn,  and  Bath.  Exeter 
was  besieged  ;  and  all  the  king's  troops  in  the  western 
counties  being  entirely  dispersed,  Fairfax  pressed  the  place, 
and  it  surrendered  at  discretion.     The  king,  thus  surrounded. 


226  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

harassed  on  every  side,  retreated  to  Oxford  ;  that,  in  all  con- 
ditions of  his  fortune,  had  held  steady  to  his  cause  ;  and 
there  he  resolved  to  offer  new  terms  to  his  incensed  pur- 
suers. 

6.  In  the  mean  time  Fairfax  was  approaching  with  a 
powerful  and  victorious  army,  and  was  taking  the  proper 
measures  for  laying  siege  to  Oxford,  which  promised  an 
easy  surrender.  To  be  taken  captive,  and  led  in  triumph 
by  his  insolent  subjects,  was  what  Charles  justly  abhorred  : 
and  every  insult  and  violence  was  to  be  dreaded  from  the 
soldiery,  who  had  felt  the  effects  of  his  opposition. 

7.  In  this  desperate  extremity  he  embraced  a  measure, 
which,  in  any  other  situation,  might  justly  lie  under  the  im- 
putation of  imprudence  and  indiscretion.  He  took  the  fatal 
resolution  of  giving  himself  up  to  the  Scots  army,  who  had 
never  testified  such  implacable  animosity  against  him  ;  but 
he  soon  found,  that  instead  of  treating  him  as  a  king,  they 
insulted  him  as  a  captive. 

8.  The  English  parliament,  being  informed  of  the  king's 
captivity,  immediately  entered  into  a  treaty  with  the  Scots 
about  delivering  up  their  prisoner.  This  was  soon  adjusted. 
They  agreed,  that  upon  payment  of  four  hundred  thousand 
pounds,  they  would  deliver  up  the  king  to  his  enemies,  and 
this  was  cheerfully  complied  with.  An  action  so  atrocious 
may  be  palliated,  but  can  never  be  defended  ;  they  returned 
home  laden  with  plunder,  and  the  reproaches  of  all  good 
men. 

9.  The  civil  war  was  now  over ;  the  king  had  absolved 
his  followers  from  their  allegiance,  and  the  parliament  had 
now  no  enemy  to  fear,  except  those  very  troops  by  which 
they  had  extended  their  overgrown  authority.  But,  in  pro- 
portion as  the  terror  of  the  king's  power  diminished,  the 
divisions  between  the  members  which  composed  the  parlia- 
ment became  more  apparent.  10.  The  majority  in  the  house 
were  of  the  presbyterian  sect,  who  were  for  having  clergy  ; 
but  the  majority  of  the  army  were  staunch  independents,  who 
admitted  of  no  clergy,  but  thought  that  every  man  had  a 
right  to  instruct  his  fellows.  At  the  head  of  this  sect  was 
Cromwell,  who  secretly  directed  their  operations,  and  invi- 
gorated all  their  measures. 

11.  Oliver  Cromwell,  whose  talents  now  began  to  appear 
in  full  lustre,  was  the  son  of  a  private  gentleman  of  Hun- 
tingdon :  but,  being  the  son  of  a  second  brother,  he  inherited 
a  very  small  paternal  fortune.     From  accident  or  intrigue, 


CHARLES    I.  227 

he  was  chosen  a  member  for  the  town  of  Cambridge  in  the 
long  parliament ;  but  he  seemed  at  first  to  possess  no  ora- 
torical talents  ;  his  person  being  ungraceful,  his  dress  slo- 
venly, his  elocution  homely,  tedious,  obscure,  and  embar- 
rassed. 12.  He  made  up,  however,  by  zeal  and  perseverance 
what  he  wanted  in  natural  powers  ;  and  being  endowed  with 
unshaken  intrepidity,  much  dissimulation,  and  a  thorough 
conviction  of  the  rectitude  of  his  cause,  he  rose,  through  the 
gradations  of  preferment,  to  the  post  of  lieutenant-general 
under  Fairfax  ;  but,  in  reality,  possessing  the  supreme  com- 
mand over  the  whole  army. 

13.  The  army  now  began  to  consider  themselves  as  a 
body  distinct  from  the  commonwealth ;  and  complained  that 
they  had  secured  the  general  tranquillity,  while  they  were 
at  the  same  time  deprived  of  the  privileges  of  Englishmen. 
In  opposition,  therefore,  to  the  parliament  of  Westminster, 
a  military  parliament  was  formed,  composed  of  the  officers 
and  common  soldiers  of  each  regiment.  14.  The  principal 
officers  formed  a  council  to  represent  the  body  of  peers : 
the  soldiers  elected  two  men  out  of  each  company,  to  re- 
present the  house  of  commons,  and  these  were  called  the 
agitators  of  the  army.  Cromwell  took  care  to  be  one  of 
the  number,  and  thus  contrived  an  easy  method  of  secretly 
conducting  and  promoting  the  sedition  of  the  army. 

15.  The  unhappy  king,  in  the  mean  time,  continued  a 
prisoner  at  Holmby  Castle ;  and  as  his  countenance  might 
add  some  authority  to  that  side  which  should  obtain  it, 
Cromwell,  who  secretly  conducted  all  the  measures  of  the 
army,  while  he  apparently  exclaimed  against  their  violence, 
resolved  to  seize  the  king's  person.  16.  Accordingly,  a 
party  of  five  hundred  horse  appearing  at  Holmby  Castle, 
under  the  command  of  one  Joyce,  conducted  the  king  to 
'he  army,  near  Cambridge.  The  next  day  Cromwell  ar- 
rived among  them,  where  he  was  received  with  acclama- 
tions of  joy,  and  was  instantly  invested  with  the  supreme 
command. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Where  was  the  battle  fought  that  decided  the  fate  of  Charles  ? 
Who  were  the  leaders  of  the  king's  army  ? 

2.  By  whom  was  the  parliamentary  army  conducted  ? 

4.  What  was  the  issue  of  the  battle  ? 

5.  What  towns  surrendered  to  the  parliamentarians  after  this  engagement  f 

6.  Where  did  the  king  fly  for  refuge  ? 

7.  On  what  measure  did  he  now  resolve  ? 


228  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

8.  What  atrocious  act  was  committed  towards  the  king ' 

10.  What  were  the  parties  which  composed  the  parliament  ? 

11.  Who  was  Oliver  Cromwell  ? 

12.  To  what  post  in  the  army  did  he  rise? 

14.  In  what  manner  was  a  council  formed  from  the  army  ? 

15.  Where  was  the  place  of  the  king's  confinement  ? 

16.  By  whose  command  was  he  taken  and  conducted  to  the  army  i 


SECTION  VI. 

Though  always  by  prosperity  undone, 

Yet  in  adversity  this  monarch  shone. — Egerton. 

1.  (A.  D.  1647.)  The  house  of  commons  was  now  di- 
vided into  parties,  as  usual;  one  part  opposing,  but  the 
majority,  with  the  two  speakers  at  their  head,  encouraging 
the  army.  In  such  an  universal  confusion,  it  is  not  to  be 
expected  that  any  thing  less  than  a  separation  of  the  parties 
could  take  place:  and  accordingly  the  two  speakers,. with 
sixty-two  members,  secretly  retired  from  the  house,  and 
threw  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the  army,  which 
was  then  at  Hounslow-heath.  2.  They  were  received  with 
shouts  and  acclamations  ;  their  integrity  was  extolled  ;  and 
the  whole  body  of  the  soldiery,  a  formidable  force  of  twenty 
thousand  men,  now  moved  forward,  to  reinstate  them  in 
their  former  seats  and  stations. 

3.  In  the  mean  time,  that  part  of  the  house  which  was 
left  behind  resolved  to  act  with  vigour,  and  resist  the  en- 
croachments of  the  army.  They  chose  new  speakers,  they 
gave  orders  for  enlisting  troops,  they  ordered  the  trainbands 
to  man  the  lines,  and  the  whole  city  boldly  resolved  to  resist 
the  invasion.  But  this  resolution  only  held  while  the  enemy 
was  thought  at  a  distance  ;  for,  when  the  formidable  force 
of  Cromwell  appeared,  all  was  obedience  and  submission ; 
the  gates  were  opened  to  the  general,  who  attended  the 
speakers,  and  the  rest  of  the  members,  peaceably  to  their 
habitations.  4.  The  eleven  impeached  members,  being 
accused  as  causers  of  the  tumult,  were  expelled,  and  most 
of  them  retired  to  the  continent.  The  mayor,  sheriff,  and 
three  aldermen  were  sent  to  the  Tower ;  several  citizens 
and  officers  of  the  militia  were  committed  to  prison,  and 
the  lines  about  the  city  were  levelled  to  the  ground.  The 
command  of  the  Tower  was  given  to  Fairfax,  the  general ; 
and  the  parliament  offered  him  their  hearty  thanks  for  having 
disobeyed  their  commands. 

5    It  now  only  remained  to  dispose  of  the  king,  who  had 


CHARLES    I.  229 

been  sent  by  the  army  a  prisoner  to  Hampton  Court ;  from 
whence  he  attempted  to  escape,  but  was  once  more  made 
prisoner  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  confined  in  Carisbrook 
Castle. 

6.  While  the  king  continued  in  this  forlorn  situation,  the 
parliament,  new  modelled  as  it  was  by  the  army,  was  every 
day  growing  more  feeble  and  factious.  He  still,  therefore, 
continued  to  negotiate  with  the  parliament  for  settling  the 
unspeakable  calamities  of  the  kingdom.  The  parliament 
saw  no  other  method  of  destroying  the  military  power  than 
to  depress  it  by  the  kingly ;  and  frequent  proposals  for  an 
accommodation  passed  between  the  captive  king  and  the 
commons. 

7.  But  it  was  now  too  late  :  their  power  was  soon  totally 
to  expire ;  for  the  rebellious  army,  crowned  with  success, 
was  returned  from  the  destruction  of  their  enemies ;  and, 
sensible  of  their  own  power,  with  furious  remonstrances 
began  to  demand  vengeance  on  their  king.  At  the  same 
time  they  advanced  to  Windsor :  and  sending  an  officer  to 
seize  the  king's  person,  where  he  was  lately  sent  under 
confinement,  they  conveyed  him  to  Hurst  Castle,  in  Hamp- 
shire, opposite  the  Isle  of  Wight.  8.  The  commons, 
however,  though  destitute  of  all  hopes  of  prevailing,  had 
still  courage  to  resist,  and  attempted,  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  army,  to  close  their  treaty  with  the  king.  But  the 
next  day  colonel  Pride,  at  the  head  of  two  regiments,  block- 
aded the  house,  seized  in  the  passage  forty-one  members  of 
the  presbyterian  party,  and  sent  them  to  a  low  room  be- 
longing to  the  house,  that  passed  by  the  denomination  of 
hell.  9.  Above  a  hundred  and  sixty  members  more  were 
excluded ;  and  none  were  allowed  to  enter  but  the  most 
furious  and  determined  of  the  independents,  in  all  not  ex- 
ceeding sixty.  This  atrocious  invasion  of  the  parliamentary 
rights  commonly  passed  by  the  name  of  Pride's  Purge,  and 
the  remaining  members  were  called  the  Rump.  These  soon 
voted  that  the  transactions  of  the  house  a  few  days  before 
were  entirely  illegal,  and  that  their  general's  conduct  was 
just  and  necessary. 

10.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  bring  in  a  charge 
against  the  king ;  and  a  vote  passed,  declaring  it  treason  in 
a  king  to  levy  war  against  his  parliament.  A  high  court  of 
justice  was  accordingly  appointed,  to  try  his  majesty  for 
this  new-invented  treason. 

11.  Colonel  Harrison,  the  son  of  a  butcher,  was  com- 

U 


230  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

manded  to  conduct  the  king  from  Hurst  Castle  to  "Windsor, 
and  from  thence  to  London.  His  afflicted  subjects,  who 
ran  to  have  a  sight  of  their  sovereign,  were  greatly  affected 
at  the  change  that  appeared  in  his  face  and  person.  He 
had  allowed  his  beard  to  grow ;  his  hair  was  become  vene- 
rably gray,  rather  by  the  pressure  of  anxiety  than  the  hand 
ov"  time ;  while  his  apparel  bore  the  marks  of  misfortune 
and  decay.  12.  Thus  he  stood  a  solitary  figure  of  majesty 
in  distress,  which  even  his  adversaries  could  not  behold 
without  reverence  and  compassion.  He  had  been  long  at- 
tended only  by  an  old  decrepid  servant,  whose  name  was 
sir  Philip  Warwick,  who  could  only  deplore  his  master's 
fate,  without  being  able  to  revenge  his  cause.  13.  All  the 
exterior  symbols  of  sovereignty  were  now  withdrawn ;  and 
his  new  attendants  had  orders  to  serve  him  without  cere- 
mony. The  duke  of  Hamilton,  who  was  reserved  for  the 
same  punishment  with  his  master,  having  leave  to  take  a 
last  farewell  as  he  departed  from  Windsor,  threw  himself  at 
the  king's  feet,  crying  out,  "My  dear  master!"  14.  The 
unhappy  monarch  raised  him  up,  and  embracing  him  ten- 
derly, xeplied,  while  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks,  "  I  have 
indeed  been  a  dear  master  to  you."  These  were  severe 
distresses ;  however  he  could  not  be  persuaded  that  his  ad- 
versaries would  bring  him  to  a  formal  trial ;  but  he  every 
moment  expected  to  be  despatched  by  private  assassination. 

15.  From  the  sixth  to  the  twentieth  of  January  was  spent 
in  making  preparations  for  this  extraordinary  trial.  The 
court  of  justice  consisted  of  a  hundred  and  thirty-three 
persons,  named  by  the  commons :  but  of  these  never  above 
seventy  sat  upon  the  trial.  The  members  were  chiefly 
composed  of  the  principal  officers  of  the  army,  most  of 
them  of  very  mean  birth,  together  with  some  of  the  lower 
house,  and  a  few  citizens  of  London.  Bradshaw,  a  lawyer, 
was  chosen  president ;  Coke  was  appointed  solicitor  for  the 
people  of  England ;  Dorislaus,  Steele,  and  Aske  were 
named  assistants.     The  court  sat  in  Westminster-hall. 

16.  The  king  was  now  conducted  from  Windsor  to  St. 
James's,  and  the  next  day  was  brought  before  the  high 
court  to  take  his  trial.  When  he  was  brought  forward, 
he  was  conducted  by  the  mace-bearer  to  a  chair  placed 
within  the  bar.  Though  long  detained  a  prisoner,  and  now 
produced  as  a  criminal,  he  still  sustained  the  dignity  of  a 
king ;  he  surveyed  the  members  of  the  court  with  a  stern 
and  haughty  air ;  and,  without  moving  his  hat,  sat  down, 


CHARLES    I.  231 

while  the  members  also  were  covered.  17.  His  charge  was 
then  read  by  the  solicitor,  accusing  him  of  having  been  the 
cause  of  all  the  bloodshed  which  followed  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war :  at  that  part  of  the  charge  he  could 
not  suppress  a  smile  of  contempt  and  indignation.  After 
his  charge  was  finished,  Bradshaw  directed  his  discourse  to 
the  king,  and  told  him  that  the  court  expected  his  answer. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  measures  were  pursued  by  the  majority  of  the  house  of  commons? 

2.  How  were  they  received  by  the  army  ? 

3.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  remaining  members  ? 

4.  To  whom  was  the  command  of  the  Tower  given  ? 

5.  Did  not  the  king  escape  from  his  place  of  confinement  ? 
Where  was  he  taken  ? 

6.  Did  he  continue  to  negotiate  with  the  parliament  ? 

7 — 9.  Describe  the  conduct  of  the  army  on  this  occasion. 
II,  12.  What  was  now  the  appearance  of  the  king  ? 
13.  What  passed  between  him  and  the  duke  of  Hamilton? 

15.  How  many  persons  sat  on  the  king's  trial  ? 

16.  Who  were  the  chief? 

17.  What  was  his  behaviour  on  his  trial  ? 
What  was  the  charge  alleged  against  him  ? 


SECTION  VII. 

Nor  agonies,  nor  livid  death,  disgrace 

The  sacred  features  of  the  monarch's  face; 

In  the  cold  visage,  mournfully  serene, 

The  same  indignant  majesty  is  seen.  —  Rome's  Luean. 

1.  (A.  D.  1648.)  The  king,  with  great  temper,  entered 
upon  his  defence,  by  denying  the  authority  of  the  court. 
He  represented,  that,  having  been  engaged  in  a  treaty  witn 
his  two  houses  of  parliament,  and  having  finished  almost 
every  article,  he  expected  a  different  treatment  from  that 
which  he  now  received.  He  perceived,  he  said,  no  appear- 
ance of  an  upper  house,  which  was  necessary  to  constitute 
a  just  tribunal.  2.  That  he  was  himself  the  king  and  the 
fountain  of  law,  and,  consequently,  could  not  be  tried  b) 
laws  to  which  he  had  never  given  his  assent ;  that  having 
been  intrusted  with  the  liberties  of  the  people,  he  would 
not  now  betray  them,  by  recognising  a  power  founded  in 
usurpation ;  that  he  was  willing,  before  a  proper  tribunal, 
to  enter  into  the  particulars  of  his  defence  ;  but  that  before 
them  he  must  decline  any  apology  or  plea  of  innocence, 
lest  he  should  be  considered  as  the  betrayer  of,  and  not  a 
martyr  for,  the  constitution. 

3    Bradshaw,  in  order  to  support  the  authority  of  the 


232  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

court,  insisted  that  they  had  received  their  power  from  the 
people,  the  source  of  all  right.  He  pressed  the  prisoner 
not  to  decline  the  authority  of  the  court,  which  was  dele- 
gated by  the  commons  of  England ;  and  he  interrupted  and 
overruled  the  king  in  his  attempts  to  reply. 

4.  In  this  manner  the  king  was  three  times  produced  be- 
fore the  court,  and  as  often  he  persisted  in  declining  its 
jurisdiction.  The  fourth  and  last  time  he  was  brought  be- 
fore the  self-created  tribunal ;  as  he  was  proceeding  thither, 
he  was  insulted  by  the  soldiers  and  the  mob,  who  exclaimed, 
"Justice!  justice  !*  execution !  execution!"  but  he  con- 
tinued undaunted.  His  judges,  having  now  examined  some 
witnesses,  by  whom  it  was  proved  that  the  king  had  ap- 
peared in  arms  against  the  forces  commissioned  by  parlia- 
ment, pronounced  sentence  against  him. 

5.  The  conduct  of  the  king,  under  all  these  instances  of 
low-bred  malice,  was  great,  firm,  and  equal ;  in  going  through 
the  hall,  the  soldiers  and  the  rabble  were  again  instigated  to 
cry  out,  "Justice  and  execution  !"  They  reviled  him  with 
the  most  bitter  reproaches.  Among  other  insults,  one  mis- 
creant presumed  to  spit  in  the  face  of  his  sovereign.  He 
patiently  bore  their  insolence.  "  Poor  souls,"  cried  he, 
"  they  would  treat  their  generals  in  the  same  manner  for 
sixpence."  6.  Those  of  the  populace  who  still  retained 
the  feelings  of  humanity,  expressed  their  sorrow  in  sighs 
and  tears.  A  soldier,  more  compassionate  than  the  rest, 
could  not  help  imploring  a  blessing  upon  his  royal  head. 
An  officer,  overhearing  him,  struck  the  honest  sentinel  to 
the  ground  before  the  king,  who  could  not  help  saying  that 
the  punishment  exceeded  the  offence. 

7.  After  returning  from  this  solemn  mockery  of  justice, 
the  unhappy  monarch  petitioned  the  house  for  permission 
to  see  his  children,  and  desired  the  attendance  of  Dr.  Juxon, 
oishop  of  London,  to  assist  in  his  private  devotions.  Both 
requests  were  immediately  granted,  and  three  days  were 
allowed  to  prepare  for  the  execution  of  the  sentence.  This 
interval  was  spent  by  Charles  in  the  exercises  of  devotion, 
and  in  administering  consolation  to  his  unhappy  family. 
8.  During  the  progress  of  the  trial,  the  French  and  Dutch 
ambassadors  vainly  interceded  in  his  behalf;  and  the  Scots, 
who  had  set  the  first  example  of  resistance  to  his  authority, 
now  remonstrated  against  the  violence  offered  to  his  person 
and  dignity.  9.  After  his  condemnation,  the  queen  and  the 
prince  of  Wales  wrote  the  most  pathetic  letters  to  the  par- 


CHARLES    I. 


233 


Execution  of  King  Charles  I.  1649. 

liaraent ;  but  nothing  could  divert  the  stern  regicides  from 
their  atrocious  design. 

10.  The  king  was  confined  in  the  palace  of  St.  James's, 
but  the  place  selected  for  erecting  the  scaffold  was  the 
street  before  the  palace  of  Whitehall.  11.  On  the  morning 
of  the  execution  he  rose  early,  and  having  spent  some  time 
in  private  devotion,  received  the  sacrament  from  the  hands 
of  bishop  Juxon ;  he  was  then  conducted  on  foot  through 
the  park  to  Whitehall,  and  partook  of  some  slight  refresh- 
ment ;  after  a  brief  delay,  he  advanced  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, attended  still  by  his  friend  and  servant  Dr.  Juxon,  who 
used  every  exertion  to  soothe  the  last  moments  of  his  unfor- 
tunate master.  12.  The  scaffold,  which  was  covered  with 
black,  was  guarded  by  a  regiment  of  soldiers,  under  the 
command  of  colonel  Tomlinson,  and  under  it  were  to  be 
seen  a  block,  the  axe,  and  two  executioners  in  masks.  The 
people,  in  immense  crowds,  stood  at  a  great  distance,  in 
dreadful  expectation  of  the  event.  The  king  surveyed  all 
these  solemn  preparations  with  calm  composure  ;•  and  as  he 
could  not  expect  to  be  heard  by  the  people  at  a  distance,  he 
addressed  himself  to  the  few  persons  who  stood  around  him 
13.  He  there  justified  his  own  innocence  in  the  late  fatal 
war ;  and  observed,  that  he  had  not  taken  arms  till  after  the 
parliament  had  shown  him  the  example.  That  he  had  no 
other  object  in  his  warlike  preparations  than  to  preserve  that 
authority  entire,  which  had  been  transmitted  to  him  by  his 
ancestors ;   but,  though  innocent  towards  his  people,  he 

u2 


234  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

acknowledged  the  equity  of  his  execution  in  the  eyes  of  his 
Maker.  14.  He  owned  that  he  was  justly  punished  for 
having  consented  to  the  execution  of  an  unjust  sentence 
upon  the  earl  of  Strafford.  He  forgave  all  his  enemies  ; 
exhorted  the  people  to  return  to  their  obedience,  and  ac- 
knowledge his  son  as  his  successor  ;  and  signed  his  attach- 
ment to  the  protestant  religion,  as  professed  in  the  church  of 
England.  So  strong  was  the  impression  his  dying  words 
made  upon  the  few  who  could  hear  him,  that  colonel  Tom- 
linson  himself,  to  whose  care  he  had  been  committed,  ac- 
knowledged himself  a  convert. 

15.  While  he  was  preparing  himself  for  the  block,  bishop 
Juxon  called  out  to  him,  "There  is,  sir,  but  one  stage  more, 
which,  though  turbulent  and  troublesome,  is  yet  a  very  short 
one.  It  will  soon  carry  you  a  great  way.  It  will  carry 
you  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  there  you  shall  find,  to  your 
great  joy,  the  prize  to  which  you  hasten,  a  crown  of  glory." 
16.  "  I  go,"  replied  the  king,  "from  a  corruptible  to  an 
incorruptible  crown,  where  no  disturbance  can  have  place." 
— "  You  exchange,"  replied  the  bishop,  "  a  temporal  for  an 
eternal  crown  ;  a  good  exchange  !"  Charles,  having  taken 
off  his  cloak,  delivered  his  George  to  the  prelate,  pronounc- 
ing the  word  "  Remember !"  Then  he  laid  his  neck  on  the 
block,  and,  stretching  out  his  hands  as  a  signal,  one  of  the 
executioners  severed  his  head  from  his  body  at  a  blow  ; 
while  the  other,  holding  it  up,  exclaimed,  "  This  is  the 
head  of  a  traitor  !"  17.  The  spectators  testified  their  horror 
of  the  sad  spectacle  in  sighs,  tears,  and  lamentations ;  the 
tide  of  their  duty  and  affection  began  to  return ;  and  each 
blamed  himself  either  with  active  disloyalty  to  his  king,  or 
a  passive  compliance  with  his  destroyers. 

18.  Charles  was  executed  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his 
age,  and  the  twenty-fourth  of  his  reign.  He  was  of  a  mid- 
dle stature,  robust,  and  well-proportioned.  His  visage  was 
pleasing,  but  melancholy ;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  con- 
tinued troubles  in  which  he  was  involved  might  have  made 
that  impression  on  his  countenance.  As  for  his  character, 
the  reader  will  deduce  it,  with  more  precision  and  satisfac- 
tion to  himself,  from  the  detail  of  his  conduct,  than  from  any 
summary  given  of  it  by  the  historian. 


THE    COMMONWEALTH.  235 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1, 2.  What  did  the  king  urge  in  his  defence  ? 

3.  What  was  the  answer  of  Bradshaw  ? 

4.  What  treatment  did  he  receive  from  the  soldiers? 

5.  With  what  patience  did  he  bear  their  reproaches  ?  and  what  was  his  re 

mark  • 

7, 8.  What  followed  the  king's  condemnation  ? 

9, 10.  What  spot  was  chosen  as  the  place  of  the  king's  execution  ? 
12.  What  preparations  were  made  for  his  trial  ? 
13, 14.  What  did  he  say  in  his  address  to  the  people  ? 
15,  16.  What  conversation  passed  between  the  king  and  bishop  Juxon? 

17.  What  effect  had  his  execution  on  the  minds  of  the  people  ? 

18.  How  long  did  Charles  reign  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 

Popes. 


A.D. 

Urban  VIII 1623 

Innocent  X 1644 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Ferdinand  II. 1619 

Ferdinand  III.  ....  1637 


Emperors  of  the  Turks. 

A.D. 

AmurathlV 1623 

Ibrahim 1649 

Mahomet  IV 1649 

Kings  of  France. 

Louis  XIII... 1620 

Louis  XIV 1643 


King  of  Spain  and 
Portugal. 

A.D. 

Philip  IV 1621 


Portugal  alone. 
John  IV 1640 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 
Archbishop  Laud.  Earl  of  Strafford.  John  Hampden.  Lucius  Cary,  lord 
Falkland.  Harry  Cary,  lord  Falkland  H.  Montague,  earl  of  Manchester. 
R.  Greville,  lord  BrOoke.  Lord-keeper  Littleton.  Arthur,  lord  Capel.  Lord 
Edward  Herbert,  of  Cherbury.  G.  Stanley,  earl  of  Derby.  J.  Digby,  earl 
of  Bristol..  Ulicke  de  Burgh,  marquis  of  Clanricarde,  and  earl  of  St.  Alban  s 
Henry  Carey,  earl  of  Monmouth.  Mildmay  Fane,  earl  of  Westmoreland.  E. 
Somerset,  marquis  of  Worcester 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 
OLIVER  CROMWELL. 


Bom  1599.    Died  September  3,  1658.    Became  lord  protector  December  16,  1653. 
Ruled  4|  years. 

THE    COMMONWEALTH. 

SECTION    I. 

Though  cunning,  bold,  and  though  intrepid,  sage.  —  Egerton, 

1.  (A.  D.  1649.)  Cromwell,  who  had  secretly  solicited 
and  contrived  the  king's  death,  now  began  to  feel  wishes 
to  which  he  had  been  hitherto  a  stranger.  His  prospects 
widening   as   he  rose,  his   first   principles   of  liberty   were 

*  The  Portuguese  shook  off  the  Spanish  yoke,  and  elected  John,  duke  of  Bra> 
ganza,  their  king. 

\ 


V 

236  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

all  lost  in  the  unbounded  stretch  of  power  that  lay  before 
hirn. 

2.  Having  been  appointed  to  command  the  army  in  Ire- 
land, he  prosecuted  the  war  in  that  kingdom  with  his  usual 
success.  He  had  to  combat  against  the  royalists,  com- 
manded by  the  duke  of  Ormond,  and  the  native  Irish,  led  on 
by  O'Neil.  But  such  ill-connected  and  barbarous  troops 
could  give  very  little  opposition  to  Cromwell's  more  nu- 
merous forces,  conducted  by  such  a  general,  and  emboldened 
by  long  success.  He  soon  overran  the  whole  country ; 
and,  after  some  time,  all  the  towns  revolted  in  his  favour, 
and  opened  their  gates  at  his  approach.  3.  But,  in  these 
conquests,  as  in  all  the  rest  of  his  actions,  there  appeared  a 
brutal  ferocity,  that  would  tarnish  the  most  heroic  valour. 
In  order  to  intimidate  the  natives  from  defending  their 
towns,  he,  with  a  barbarous  policy,  put  every  garrison  that 
made  any  resistance  to  the  sword. 

4.  After  his  return  to  England,  upon  taking  his  seat,  he 
received  the  thanks  of  the  house,  by  the  mouth  of  the 
speaker,  for  the  services  he  had  done  the  commonwealth  in 
Ireland.  They  then  proceeded  to  deliberate  upon  choosing 
a  general  for  conducting  the  war  in  Scotland,  where  they 
had  espoused  the  royal  cause,  and  placed  young  Charles, 
the  son  of  their  late  monarch,  on  the  throne.  Fairfax  re- 
fusing this  command  upon  principle,  as  he  had  all  along 
declined  opposing  the  presbyterians,  the  command  necessa- 
rily devolved  upon  Cromwell,  who  boldly  set  forward  for 
Scotland,  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  sixteen  thousand  men/ 

5.  The  Scots,  in  the  mean  time,  who  had  invited  over 
their  wretched  king  to  be  a  prisoner,  not  a  ruler  among  them, 
prepared  to  meet  the  invasion.  A.D.  1650.  A  battle  soon 
ensued,  in  which  they,  though  double  the  number  of  the 
English,  were  soon  put  to  flight,  and  pursued  with  great 
slaughter,  while  Cromwell  did  not  lose  above  forty  men 
in  all. 

6.  In  this  terrible  exigence  young  Charles  embraced  a 
resolution  worthy  a  prince  who  was  willing  to  hazard  all 
for  empire.  Observing  that  the  way  was  open  to  England, 
he  resolved  immediately  to  march  into  that  country,  where 
he  expected  to  be  reinforced  by  all  the  royalists  in  that  part 
of  the  kingdom. 

7.  But  he  soon  found  himself  disappointed  in  the  expec- 
tation of  increasing  his  army.  The  Scots,  terrified  at  the 
prospect  of  so  hazardous  an  enterprise,  fell  from  him  in  great 


THE    COMMONWEALTH.  237 

numbers.  The  English,  affrighted  at  the  name  of  his  op- 
ponent, dreaded  to  join  him ;  but  his  mortifications  were 
still  more  increased  as  he  arrived  at  Worcester,  when  in- 
formed that  Cromwell  was  marching  with  hasty  strides  from 
Scotland,  with  an  army  increased  to  forty  thousand  men. 
8.  The  news  had  scarcely  arrived,  when  that  active  general 
himself  appeared  ;  and,  falling  upon  the  town  on  all  sides, 
broke  in  upon  the  disordered  royalists.  The  streets  were 
strewed  with  slaughter ;  the  whole  Scots  army  were  either 
killed  or  taken  prisoners  ;  and  the  king  himself,  having 
given  many  proofs  of  personal  valour,  was  obliged  to  fly. 

9.  Imagination  can  scarcely  conceive  adventures  more 
romantic,  or  distress  more  severe,  than  those  which  at- 
tended the  young  king's  flight  from  the  scene  of  slaughter. 
After  various  escapes,  and  one-and-forty  days  concealment, 
he  landed  safely  at  Feschamp,  in  Normandy ;  no  less  than 
forty  men  and  women  having,  at  different  times,. been  privy 
to  his  escape. 

10.  Th'e  particulars  of  Charles's  escape,  after  the  battle 
of  Worcester,  are  truly  interesting.  He  left  the  fatal  scene 
of  action,  accompanied  by  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  the 
earls  of  Derby  and  Lauderdale,  the  lords  Talbot,  Wilmot, 
and  fifty  horse,  and,  without  halting,  arrived  at  Whiteladies, 
twenty-five  miles  from  Worcester,  at  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  There  he  thought  it  best  for  his  safety  to  separate 
from  his  companions,  and,  without  intrusting  them  with  his 
intentions,  he  went  to  Boscobel,  a  lone  house  in  Staffordshire, 
inhabited  by  one  Penderell,  a  farmer,  whose  fidelity  remained 
unshaken,  though  death  was  denounced  against  all  who  con- 
cealed the  king,  and  a  great  reward  promised  to  any  one 
who  should  betray  him.  Penderell,  and  his  four  brothers, 
having  clothed  the  king  in  a  garb  like  their  own,  led  him 
into  the  neighbouring  wood,  put  a  bill  into  his  hand,  and  em- 
ployed themselves  in  cutting  faggots  with  him.  For  better 
concealment  he  mounted  upon  an  oak,  where  he  sheltered 
himself  among  the  branches  and  leaves  for  twenty-four 
hours.  There  he  saw  several  soldiers  passing  in  search  of 
him.  This  tree  was  afterwards  called  the  royal  oak,  and  for 
many  years  was  regarded  by  the  neighbourhood  with  great 
veneration.  Thence  he  passed  with  imminent  danger  from 
one  cottage  to  another,  feeling  all  the  varieties  of  famine, 
fatigue  and  pain,  till  he  reached  the  house  of  Mr.  Lane,  a 
gentleman  of  good  reputation  and  fortune  in  Staffordshire. 
In  this  station  the  king  remained  many  days  in  quiet  and 


238  HIST0BY    OF   ENGLAND. 

security.  Thence  he  went  to  one  of  Mr.  Lane's  relations, 
within  five  miles  of  Bristol,  where  he  intended  to  embark ; 
but  finding  that  no  ship  was  to  sail  for  a  month  from  that 
place,  he  was  obliged  to  go  elsewhere  for  a  passage,  and 
escaped  from  being  discovered  and  arrested  at  Lyme,  only 
by  a  few  minutes.  Charles  passed  through  many  other 
adventures,  assumed  different  disguises,  in  every  step  was 
exposed  to  imminent  dangers,  and  received  daily  proofs  of 
uncorrupted  fidelity.  A  little  bark  was  at  last  found  at 
Brighthelmstone,  (at  that  time  a  small  fishing-town  in  Sussex, 
but  now  a  place  of  considerable  magnitude  and  opulence,) 
where  his  majesty  embarked,  and  arrived  safely  at  Fres- 
champ,  in  Normandy,  October  22d. 

11.  In  the  mean  time,  Cromwell,  crowned  with  success, 
returned  in  triumph  to  London,  where  he  was  met  by  the 
speaker  of  the  house,  accompanied  by  the  mayor  of  London, 
and  the  magistrates,  in  all  their  formalities.  His  first  care 
was  to  take  advantage  of  his  late  success,  by  depressing  the 
Scots,  who  had  so  lately  withstood  the  work  of  the  gospel, 
as  he  called  it.  12.  An  act  was  passed  for  abolishing  roy- 
alty in  Scotland,  and  annexing  that  kingdom,  as  a  conquered 
province,  to  the  English  commonwealth.  It  was  empow- 
ered, however,  to  send  some  members  to  the  English  par- 
liament. Judges  were  appointed  to  distribute  justice,  and 
the  people  of  that  country,  now  freed  from  the  tyranny  of 
the  ecclesiastics,  were  not  much  dissatisfied  with  their  pre- 
sent government.  The  prudent  conduct  of  Monk,  who  was 
left  by  Cromwell  to  complete  their  subjection,  served  much 
to  reconcile  the  minds  of  the  people,  harassed  with  dissen- 
sions, of  which  they  never  well  understood  the  cause. 

13.  In  this  manner,  the  English  parliament,  by  the  means 
of  Cromwell,  spread  their  uncontested  authority  over  all  the 
British  dominions.  Ireland  was  totally  subdued  by  Ireton 
and  Ludlow.  All  the  settlements  in  America,  that  had  de- 
clared for  the  royal  cause,  were  obliged  to  submit ;  Jersey, 
Guernsey,  Scilly,  and  the  Isle  of  Man,  were  brought  easily 
under  subjection.  Thus  mankind  saw,  with  astonishment, 
a  parliament  composed  of  sixty  or  seventy  obscure  and  illi- 
terate members  governing  a  great  empire  with  unanimity 
and  success.  14.  Without  any  acknowledged  subordination 
except  a  council  of  state,  consisting  of  thirty-eight,  to  whom 
all  addresses  were  made,  they  levied  armies,  maintained 
fleets,  and  gave  laws  to  the  neighbouring  powers  of  Europe. 
15.  The  finances  were  managed  with  economy  and  exact- 


THE    COMMONWEATLH.  239 

ness.  Few  private  persons  became  rich  by  the  plunder  of 
the  public :  the  revenues  of  the  crown,  the  lands  of  the 
bishops,  and  a  tax  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pounds 
each  month,  supplied  the  wants  of  the  government,  and 
gave  vigour  to  all  their  proceedings. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  nature  of  Cromwell's  ambition? 

2.  What  success  attended  him  in  Ireland  ? 

3.  What  cruelty  tarnished  his  victories  ? 

4.  Whom  did  the  parliament  appoint  to  the  command  of  the  army 

against  Scotland  ? 

5.  What  was  Cromwell's  success? 

6.  What  resolution  did  prince  Charles  embrace  ? 

7.  What  news  did  the  prince  receive  at  Worcester  ? 

8.  What  was  the  result  of  his  undertaking  ?       . 

9.  What  were  his  sufferings  ?  and  how  did  he  escape  ? 

10.  Mention  more  particularly  the  incidents  of  this  escape. 

11.  What  was  Cromwell's  first  care  after  his  return? 

12.  What  act  was  now  passed  respecting  Scotland  ? 

13 — 15.  What  was  the  state  of  the  British  empire  at  this  time  ? 


SECTION  II. 


An  evil  soul,  producing  holy  writ, 

Is  like  a  villain  with  a  smiling  cheek  ; 

A  goodly  apple  rotten  at  the  core.  —  Shakspeare. 


1.  (A.  D.  1652.)  The  parliament,  having  thus  reduced 
their  native  dominions  to  perfect  obedience,  next  resolved 
to  chastise  the  Dutch,  who  had  given  but  very  slight  cause 
of  complaint.  It  happened  that  one  doctor  Dorislaus,  who 
was  of  the  number  of  the  late  king's  judges,  being  sent  by 
the  parliament  as  their  envoy  to  Holland,  was  assassinated 
by  one  of  the  royal  party,  who  had  taken  refuge  there. 
2.  Some  time  after,  also,  Mr.  St.  John,  appointed  their 
ambassador  to  that  court,  was  insulted  by  the  friends  of  the 
prince  of  Orange.  These  were  thought  motives  sufficient 
to  induce  the  commonwealth  of  England  to  declare  war 
against  them.  The  parliament's  chief  dependence  lay  in 
the  activity  and  courage  of  Blake,  their  admiral ;  who, 
though  he  had  not  embarked  in  naval  command  till  late  in 
life,  yet  surpassed  all  that  went  before  him  in  courage  and 
dexterity.     3.  On  the  other  side,  the  Dutch  opposed  to  him 


240  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

their  famous  admiral  Van  Tromp,  to  whom  they  have  never 
since  produced  an  equal.  Many  were  the  engagements  be- 
tween these  celebrated  admirals,  and  various  was  their  suc- 
cess. Sea-fights,  in  general,  seldom  prove  decisive;  and 
the  vanquished  are  soon  seen  to  make  head  against  the 
victor.  Several  dreadful  encounters,  therefore,  rather  served 
to  show  the  excellence  of  the  admirals,  than  to  determine 
their  superiority.  4.  The  Dutch,  however,  who  felt  many 
great  disadvantages  by  the  loss  of  their  trade,  and  by  the 
total  suspension  of  their  fisheries,  were  willing  to  treat  for 
a  peace  ;  but  the  parliament  gave  them  a  very  unfavourable 
answer.  It  was  the  policy  of  that  body  to  keep  their  navy 
on  foot  as  long  as  they  could ;  rightly  judging,  that,  while 
the  force  of  the  nation  was  exerting  by  sea,  it  would  di- 
minish the  power  of  general  Cromwell  by  land,  which  was 
become  very  formidable  to  them. 

5.  This  great  aspirer,  however,  quickly  perceived  their 
designs ;  and,  from  the  first,  saw  that  they  dreaded  his 
growing  power,  and  wished  its  diminution.  All  his  mea- 
sures were  conducted  with  a  bold  intrepidity  that  marked 
his  character,  and  he  now  saw  that  it  was  not  necessary  to 
wear  the  mask  of  subordination  any  longer.  Secure,  there- 
fore, in  the  attachment  of  the  army,  he  resolved  to  make 
another  daring  effort;  and  persuaded  the  officers  to  present 
a  petition  for  payment  of  arrears  and  redress  of  grievances, 
which  he  knew  would  be  rejected  by  the  commons  with 
disdain.  6.  The  petition  was  soon  drawn  up  and  pre- 
sented, in  which  the  officers,  after  demanding  their  arrears, 
desired  the  parliament  to  consider  how  many  years  they 
had  sat ;  and  what  professions  they  had  formerly  made  of 
their  intentions  to  new-model  the  house,  and  establish  free 
dom  on  the  broadest  basis. 

7.  The  house  was  highly  offended  at  the  presumption  of 
the  army,  although  they  had  seen,  but  too  lately,  that  their 
own  power  was  wholly  founded  on  that  very  presumption. 
They  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  an  act  ordaining 
that  all  persons  who  presented  such  petitions  for  the  future 
should  be  deemed  guilty  of  high-treason.  To  this  the  offi- 
cers made  a  very  warm  remonstrance,  and  the  parliament 
as  angry  a  reply ;  while  the  breach  between  them  every 
moment  grew  wider.  8.  This  was  what  Cromwell  had 
long  wished,  and  had  long  foreseen.  He  was  sitting  in  the 
council  with  his  officers,  when  informed  of  the  subject  on 
which  the  house  was  deliberating ;  upon  which  he  rose  up, 


THE    COMMONWEALTH. 

mm 


241 


Cromwell  dismissing  the  parliament. 

in  the  most  seeming  fury,  and  turning  to  major  Vernon,  he 
cried  out,  that  he  was  compelled  to  do  a  thing  that  made 
the  very  hairs  of  his  head  stand  on  end.  9.  Then  hasten- 
ing to  the  house  with  three  hundred  soldiers,  and  with  the 
marks  of  violent  indignation  on  his  countenance,  he  entered. 
Stamping  with  his  foot,  which  was  the  signal  for  the  soldiers 
to  enter,  the  place  was  immediately  filled  with  armed  men. 
rVlven  addressing  himself  to  the  members:  "For  shame,'" 
said  he,  "  get  you  gone.  Give  place  to  honester  men  ;  to 
those  who  will  more  faithfully  discharge  their  trust.  10.  You 
are  no  longer  a  parliament :  I  tell  you,  you  are  no  longer  a 
parliament :  the  Lord  lias  done  with  you."  Sir  Harry 
Vane  exclaiming  against  this  conduct :  "  Sir  Harry,"  cried 
Cromwell,  with  a  loud  voice,  "  O  !  sir  Harry  Vane,  the 
Lord  deliver  me  from  sir  Harry  Vane."  He  then,  in  the 
coarsest  and  most  violent  manner,  reproached  many  of  the 
members,  by  name,  with  their  vices.  "  It  is  you,"  con- 
tinued he,  "that  have  forced  me  upon  this.  11.  I  have 
sought  the  Lord  night  and  day,  that  he  would  rather  slay 
me  than  put  me  upon  this  work."  Then  pointing  to  the 
mace,  "  Take  away,"  cried  he,  "  that  bauble."  After 
which,  turning  out  all  the  members,  and  clearing  the  hall, 
he  ordered  the  doors  to  be  locked,  and,  putting  the  key  in 
His  pocket,  returned  to  Whitehall. 

12.  The  persons  selected  for  his  next  parliament  were 
the  lowest,  meanest,  and  the  most  ignorant  among  the  citi- 

X 


.    ^C/yi  / 


m 

242  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

zens,  and  the  very  dregs  of  the  fanaties.  He  was  well  ap- 
prized, that,  during  the  administration  of  such  a  group  of 
characters,  he  alone  must  govern,  or  that  they  must  soon 
throw  up  the  reins  of  government,  which  they  were  unqua- 
lified to  guide.  Accordingly,  their  practice  justified  his  sa- 
gacity. One  of  them  particularly,  who  was  called  Praise 
God  Barebone,  a  canting  leather  seller,  gave  his  name  to 
this  odd  assembly,  and  it  was  called  Barebone's  parliament. 
15.  The  very  vulgar  now  began  to  exclaim  against  so 
foolish  a  legislature  ;  and  they  themselves  seemed  not  insen- 
'  sible  of  the  ridicule  which  every  day  was  thrown  out  against 
them.  Accordingly,  by  concert,  they  met  earlier  than  the 
rest  of  their  fraternity,  and  observing  to  each  other  that  this 
parliament  had  sat  long  enough,  they  hastened  to  Crom- 
well, with  Rouse  their  speaker  at  their  head,  and  into  his 
hands  they  resigned  the  authority  with  which  he  had  invest- 
ed them. 


Questions  for  Examination.  • 

1.  What  circumstances  produced  a  war  with  the  Dutch  ? 

2.  On  what  admiral  did  the  English  place  their  chief  dependence 

3.  To  whom  was  Blake  opposed  ? 

4.  What  was  the  result  of  the  war  ? 

5.  What  petition  did  Cromwell  persuade  the  officers  to  present  ? 
7.  In  what  manner  did  the  parliament  receive  the  petition  ? 

7 — 11.  Relate  the  particulars  of  this  dispute,  and  its  result. 

12.  Of  whom  was  the  next  parliament  composed?  and  what  was  it  called  ? 

13.  To  whom  did  they  resign  their  authority  ? 


SECTION  III. 

Established  violence  and  lawless  might, 

Avowed  and  hallowed  by  the  name  of  right.  —  Route's  Lucan. 

1.  (A.D.  1653.)  Cromwell  accepted  their  resignation 
with  pleasure  ;  but  being  told  that  some  of  the  members 
were  refractory,  he  sent  colonel  White  to  clear  the  house 
of  such  as  ventured  to  remain  there.  They  had  placed  one 
Moyer  in  the  chair  by  the  time  that  the  colonel  had  arrived  ; 
and  being  asked  by  the  colonel  what  they  did  there,  Moyer 
replied  very  gravely,  that  they  were  seeking  the  Lord 
"  Then  may  you  go  elsewhere,"  cried  White  ;  "  for  to  my 
certain  knowledge,  the  Lord  has  not  been  here  these  many 
years." 

2.  This  shadow  of  a  parliament  being  dissolved,  the  offi- 
cers, by  their  own  authority,  declared  Cromwell  protector 


THE    COMMONWEALTH.  243 

of  the  commonwealth  of  England.  He  was  to  be  addressed 
by  the  title  of  highness  ;  and  his  power  was  proclaimed  in 
London,  and  other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Thus  an  obscure 
and  vulgar  man,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three,  rose  to  unbounded 
power  :  first  by  following  small  events  in  his  favour,  and  at 
length  by  directing  great  ones. 

3.  Cromwell  chose  his  council  from  among  his  officers, 
who  had  been  the  companions  of  his  dangers  and  his  victo- 
ries, to  each  of  whom  he  assigned  a  pension  of  one  thousand 
pounds  a  year.  He  took  care  to  have  his  troops,  upon 
whose  fidelity  he  depended  for  support,  paid  a  month  in  ad- 
vance ;  the  magazines  were  also  well  provided,  and  the 
public  treasure  managed  with  frugality  and  care  ;  while  his 
activity,  vigilance,  and  resolution  were  such,  that  he  disco- 
vered every  conspiracy  against  his  person,  and  every  plot 
for  an  insurrection,  before  they  took  effect. 

4.  His  management  of  foreign  affairs,  though  his  schemes 
were  by  no  means  political,  yet  well  corresponded  with  his 
character,  and  for  a  while  were  attended  with  success.  The 
Dutch,  having  been  humbled  by  repeated  defeats,  and  totally 
abridged  of  their  commercial  concerns,  were  obliged  at  last 
to  sue  for  peace,  which  he  gave  them  upon  terms  rather  too 
favourable.  5.  He  insisted  upon  their  paying  deference  to 
the  British  flag ;  he  compelled  them  to  abandon  the  interest 
of  the  king,  and  to  pay  eighty-five  thousand  pounds,  as  an 
indemnification  for  former  expenses  ;  and  to  restore  the 
English  East  India  Company  a  part  of  those  dominions  of 
which  they  had  been  dispossessed  by  the  Dutch,  during  the 
former  reign,  in  that  distant  part  of  the  world. 

6.  He  was  not  less  successful  in  his  negotiation  with  the 
court  of  France.  Cardinal  Mazarin,  by  whom  the  affairs 
of  that  kingdom  were  conducted,  deemed  it  necessary  to  pay 
deference  to  the  protector  ;  and  desirous  rather  to  prevail  by 
dexterity  than  violence,  submitted  to  Cromwell's  imperious 
character,  and  thus  procured  ends  equally  beneficial  to  both. 

7.  The  court  of  Spain  was  not  less  assiduous  in  its  endea- 
vours to  gain  his  friendship,  but  was  not  so  successful. 
This  vast  monarchy,  which,  but  a  few  years  before,  had 
threatened  the  liberties  of  Europe,  was  now  reduced  so  low 
as  to  be  seareely  able  to  defend  itself.  Cromwell,  however, 
who  knew  nothing  of  foreign  politics,  still  continued  to  re- 
gard its  power  with  an  eye  of  jealousy,  and  came  into  an 
association  with  France  to  depress  it  still  more.  8.  He  lent 
thai  court  a  body  of  six  thousand  men  to  attack  the  Spanish 


244  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

dominions  in  the  Netherlands ;  and,  upon  obtaining  a  signal 
victory  by  his  assistance  at  Dunes,  the  French  put  Dunkirk, 
which  they  had  just  taken  from  the  Spaniards,  into  his 
hands,  as  a  reward  for  his  attachment. 

9.  But  it  was  by  sea  that  he  humbled  the  power  of  Spain 
with  still  more  effectual  success.  Blake,  who  had  long 
made  himself  formidable  to  the  Dutch,  and  whose  fame  was 
spread  over  Europe,  now  became  still  more  dreadful  to  the 
Spanish  monarchy.  He  sailed  with  a  fleet  into  the  Medi- 
terranean, whither,  since  the  time  of  the  crusades,  no  Eng- 
lish fleet  had  ever  ventured  to  advance.  He  there  conquered 
all  that  dared  to  oppose^, him.  10.  Casting  anchor  before 
Leghorn,  he  demanded  >rfn<l  obtained  satisfaction  for  some 
injuries  which  the  English  commerce  had  suffered  from  the 
duke  of  Tuscany.  He  next  sailed  to  Algiers,  and  compel- 
led the  dey  to  make  peace,  and  to  restrain  his  piratical  sub- 
jects from  further  injuring  the  English.  11.  A.D.  1655. 
He  then  went  to  Tunis,  and  having  made  the  same  demands, 
was  desired  by  the  dey  of  that  place  to  look  at  the  two  cas- 
tles, Porto  Farino  and  Goletta,  and  do  his  utmost.  Blake 
showed  him  that  he  was  not  slow  in  accepting  the  challenge  ; 
entered  that  harbour,  burned  the  shipping  there,  and  then 
sailed  out  triumphantly  to  pursue  his  voyage.  At  Cadiz  he 
took  two  galleons,  valued  at  nearly  two  millions  of  dollars. 
12.  At  the  Canaries  he  burned  a  Spanish  fleet  of  six- 
teen ships  ;  and  returning  home  to  England,  to  enjoy  the 
fame  of  his  noble  actions,  as  he  came  within  sight  of  his  na- 
tive country  he  expired.  This  gallant  man,  though  he  fought 
for  an  usurper,  was  yet  adverse  to  his  cause  ;  he  was  a  zeal- 
ous republican  in  principle,  and  his  aim  was  to  serve  his 
country,  not  to  establish  a  tyrant.  "  It  is  still  our  duty," 
he  would  say  to  the  seamen,  "  to  fight  for  our  country,  into 
whatever  hands  the  government  may  fall." 

13.  At  the  same  time  that  Blake's  expeditions  were  going 
forward,  there  was  another  carried  on  under  the  command 
of  admirals  Penn  and  Venables,  with  about  four  thousand 
land  forces,  to  attack  the  island  of  Hispaniola.  Failing,  how- 
ever, in  this,  and  being  driven  off  the  place  by  the  Spa- 
niards, they  steered  to  Jamaica,  which  was  surrendered  to 
them  without  a  blow.  So  little  was  thought  of  the  import- 
ance of  this  conquest,  that  upon  the  return  of  the  expedition. 
Penn  and  Venables  were  sent  to  the  Tower,  for  their  failure 
in  the  principal  object  of  their  expedition. 

14.  But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  Crom well's  situation 


THE    COMMONWEALTH.  245 

was  at  that  time  enviable.  Perhaps  no  situation,  however 
mean  or  loaded  with  contempt,  could  be  more  truly  distress- 
ing than  his,  at  the  time  the  nation  were  loading  him  with 
congratulations  and  addresses.  He  had  by  this  time  render- 
ed himself  hateful  to  every  party  ;  and  he  owed  his  safety 
to  their  mutual  hatred  and  diffidence  of  each  other.  15.  His 
arts  of  dissimulation  had  been  long  exhausted  ;  ntme  could 
now  be  deceived  by  them,  those  of  his  own  party  and  prin- 
ciples disdained  the  use  to  which  he  had  converted  his  zeal 
and  professions.  The  truth  seems  to  be,  if  we  may  use 
the  phrase  taken  from  common  life,  he  had  begun  with  being 
a  dupe  to  his  own  enthusiasm,  and  ended  with  being  a 
sharper, 

16.  The  whole  nation  silently  detested  his  administration ; 
but  he  had  not  still  been  reduced  to  the  extreme  of  wretch 
edness,  if  he  could  have  found  domestic  consolation.  Fleet- 
wood, his  son-in-law,  actuated  with  the  wildest  zeal,  detest- 
ed that  character  which  could  use  religious  professions  for 
the  purposes  of  temporal  advancement.  17.  His  eldest 
daughter,  married  to  Fleetwood,  had  adopted  republican 
principles  so  vehemently,  that  she  could  not  behold  even 
her  own  father  intrusted  with  uncontrollable  power.  His 
other  daughters  were  no  less  sanguine  in  favour  of  the  royal 
cause  ;  but,  above  all,  Mrs.  Claypole,  his  favourite  daughter, 
upon  her  death-bed,  upbraided  him  with  all  those  crimes  that 
had  led  him  to  trample  on  the  throne. 

18.  Every  hour  added  some  new  disquietude.  Lord 
Fairfax,  sir  William  Waller,  and  many  of  the  heads  of  the 
presbyterians,  had  secretly  entered  into  an  engagement  to 
destroy  him.  His  administration,  so  expensive  both  at  home 
and  abroad,  had  exhausted  his  revenue,  and  he  was  left  con- 
siderably in  debt.  19.  One  conspiracy  was  no  sooner  de- 
tected, than  another  rose  from  its  ruins  ;  and,  to  increase  the 
calamity,  he  was  now  taught,  upon  reasoning  principles,  that 
his  death  was  not  only  desirable,  but  his  assassination  would 
be  meritorious.  A  book  was  published  by  colonel  Titus,  a 
man  who  had  formerly  been  attached  to  his  cause,  entitled, 
"  Killing  no  Murder."  20.  Of  all  the  pamphlets  that  came 
forth  at  that  time,  or  perhaps  of  those  that  have  since  ap- 
peared, this  was  the  most  eloquent  and  masterly.  "  Shall 
we,"  said  this  popular  declaimer,  "  who  would  not  suffer 
the  lion  to  invade  us,  tamely  stand  to  be  devoured  by  the 
wolf  ?"  Cromwell  read  this  spirited  treatise,  and  was  never 
seen  to  smile  more 

x2 


246  HISTORY    OP    ENGlAffDP. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Mention  what  followed  the  resignation  of  this  parliament. 

2.  What  important  events  succeeded  ? 
3—5.  What  were  the  first  acts  of  Cromwell  ? 

6, 7.  In  what  manner  did  he  act  towards  France  and  Spain  ? 
9—12.  Relate  the  bold  and  successful  enterprise  of  admiral  Blake. 

13.  What  other  admirals  did  Cromwell  employ  ?  and  with  what  success? 

14,  15.  What  was  Cromwell's  situation  at  this  time  ? 
16,  17.  What  were  his  domestic  troubles  ? 

18.  Who  entered  into  an  engagement  to  destroy  him  ? 

19.  What  effect  had  the  pamphlet  written  by  colonel  Titus  on  liim  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

Te  left  a  name  at  which  the  world  grew  pale, 
Fo  point  a  moral  or  adorn  a  tale.  —  Johnson. 


1.  (A.D.  1658.)  All  peace  was  now  for  ever  banished 
from  his  mind ;  and  he  found,  that  the  grandeur  to  which 
he  had  sacrificed  his  former  peace  was  only  an  inlet  to  fresh 
inquietudes.  The  fears  of  assassination  haunted  him  in  all 
his  walks,  and  were  perpetually  present  in  his  imagination, 
He  wore  armour  under  his  clothes,  and  always  kept  pistols 
in  hi3  pockets.  2.  His  aspect  was  clouded  by  a  settled 
gloom ;  and  he  regarded  every  stranger  with  a  glance  of 
timid  suspicion.  He  always  travelled  with  hurry,  and  was 
ever  attended  by  a  numerous  guard.  He  never  returned 
from  any  place  by  the  road  he  went ;  and  seldom  slept  above 
three  nights  together  in  the  same  ehamber.  Society  terrified 
him,  as  there  he  might  meet  an  enemy  ;  solitude  was  terri- 
ble, as  he  was  there  unguarded  by  every  friend. 

3.  A  tertian  ague  came  kindly  at  last  to  deliver  him  from 
this  life  of  horror  and  anxiety.  For  the  space  of  a  week  no 
dangerous  symptoms  appeared  ;  and  in  the  intervals  of  the 
fits  he  was  able  to  walk  abroad.  At  length  the  fever  in- 
creased, and  he  became  delirious.  He  was  just  able  to  an- 
swer yes  to  the  demand,  whether  his  son  Richard  should  be 
appointed  to  succeed  him.  He  died  on  the  third  day  of 
September,  the  very  day  which  he  had  always  considered 
as  the  most  fortunate  of  his  life ;  he  was  then  fifty-nine  years 
old,  and  had  usurped  the  government  nine  years. 

4.  Whatever  might  have  been  the  difference  of  interests 
after  the  death  of  the  usurper,  the  influence  of  his  name  was 
still  sufficient  to  get  Richard,  his  son,  proclaimed  protector 
in  his  room.  But  the  army,  discontented  with  such  a  lead- 
er, established  a  meeting  at  General  Fleetwood's,  which,  as 
he  dwelt  at  Wallingford-house,  was  called  the  cabal  of  Wal 


THE    COMMONWEALTH  247 

lingford.  "The  result  of  their  deliberation  was  a  remonstrance, 
that  the  command  of  the  army  should  be  instrusted  to  some 
person  in  whom  they  might  all  confide ;  and  it  was  plainly 
given  to  understand,  that  the  young  protector  was  not  that 
person. 

5.  Richard  wanted  resolution  to  defend  the  title  that  had 
been  conferred  upon  him ;  he  soon  signed  his  own  abdica- 
tion in  form,  and  retired  to  live,  several  years  after  his  re- 
signation, at  first  on  the  continent,  and  afterwards  upon  his 
paternal  fortune  at  home.  He  was  thought  by  the  ignorant 
to  be  unworthy  the  happiness  of  his  exaltation ;  but  he 
knew,  by  his  tranquillity  in  private,  that  he  had  made  the 
most  fortunate  exchange. 

While  Richard  Cromwell  was  on  his  travels,  under  an  as- 
sumed name,  he  was  introduced  to  the  prince  of  Conti,  who, 
talking  of  England,  broke  out  into  admiration  of  CromwelPs 
courage  and  capacity :  "  But  as  for  that  poor  pitiful  fellow, 
Richard,"  said  he,  "  what  has  become  of  him  1  How  could 
he  be  such  a  blockhead  as  to  reap  no  greater  benefit  from  all 
his  father's  crimes  and  successes?"  We  have,  however, 
abundant  proof  that  Richard  was  fonder  of  the  social  virtues 
than  of  noisy  fame,  and  justly  appreciated  the  calm  enjoy- 
ments of  retirement.  When,  on  assuming  •the  Protectorship, 
one  of  his  adherents  pressed  him  to  exert  more  vigour  against 
the  royalists,  he  said,  "  I  positively  forbid  shedding  the  blood 
of  a  single  man  in  my  cause.  I  would  rather  relinquish  the 
post  I  hold,  than  proceed  to  such  unwarrantable  extremities. 
I  wish  to  retain  my  situation  no  longer  than  shall  be  consist- 
ent with  the  public  good,  and  the  wishes  of  those  I  govern." 
His  peaceful  and  quiet  life  extended  to  the  age  of  86 ;  and 
he  died  in  the  year  1712,  at  the  latter  end  of  queen  Anne's 
reign. 

6.  The  officers,  being  once  more  left  to  themselves,  de- 
termined to  replace  the  remnant  of  the  old  parliament  which 
had  beheaded  the  king,  and  which  Cromwell  had  so  digrace- 
fully  turned  out  of  the  house. 

7.  The  rump  parliament,  for  that  was  the  name  it  went 
by,  being  now  reinstated,  was  yet  very  vigorous  in  its  at- 
tempts to  lessen  the  power  by  which  it  was  replaced.  The 
officers  of  the  army,  therefore,  came  to  a  resolution,  usual 
enough  in  those  times,  to  dissolve  that  assembly  by  which 
they  were  so  vehemently  opposed.  8.  Accordingly,  Lam- 
bert, one  of  the  generals,  drew  up  a  chosen  body  of  troops, 
and  placing  them  in  the  streets  which  led  to  Westminister. 


248  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

hall,  when  the  speaker,  Lenthall,  proceeded  in  his  carriage  to 
the  house,  he  ordered  the  horses  to  be  turned,  and  very  civilly 
conducted  him  home.  The  other  members  were  likewise  in- 
tercepted, and  the  army  returned  to  their  quarters  to  observe 
a  solemn  feast,  which  generally  either  preceded  or  attended 
their  outrages. 

9.  During  these  transactions,  general  Monk  was  at  the 
head  of  eight  thousand  veterans  in  Scotland,  and  beheld  the 
distraction  of  his  native  country  with  but  slender  hopes  of 
relieving  it. 

10.  Whatever  might  have  been  his  designs,  it  was  impos- 
sible to  cover. them  with  greater  secrecy  than  he  did.  As 
soon  as  he  put  his  army  in  motion,  to  inquire  into  the  cause 
of  the  disturbances  in  the  capital,  his  countenance  was 
eagerly  sought  by  all  the  contending  parties.  He  still,  how- 
ever, continued  to  march  his  army  towards  the  capital ;  the 
whole  country  equally  in  doubt  as  to  his  motives  and  aston- 
ished at  his  reserve.  But  Monk  continued  his  inflexible  taci- 
turnity, and  at  last  came  to  St.  Alban's,  within  a  few  miles 
of  London. 

11.  He  there  sent  the  rump  parliament,  who  had  resumed 
their  seat,  a  message,  desiring  them  to  remove  such  forces 
as  remained  in  London  to  country  quarters.  In  the  mean 
time  the  house  of  commons,  having  passed  votes  for  the 
composure  of  the  kingdom,  dissolved  themselves,  and  gave 
orders  for  the  immediate  assembling  of  a  new  parliament. 

12.  As  yet  the  new  parliament  was  not  assembled,  and 
no  person  had  hitherto  dived  into  the  designs  of  the  general. 
(A.  D.  1660.)  He  still  persevered  in  his  reserve;,  and  al- 
though the  calling  of  a  new  parliament  was  but,  in  other 
words,  to  restore  the  king,  yet  his  expressions  never  once 
betrayed  the  secret  of  his  bosom.  Nothing  but  a  security 
of  confidence  at  last  extorted  the  confession  from  him.  13. 
He  had  been  intimate  with  one  Morrice,  a  gentleman  of  De- 
vonshire, of  a  sedentary,  studious  disposition,  and  with  him 
alone  did  he  deliberate  upon  the  great  and  dangerous  enter- 
prise of  the  restoration.  Sir  John  Granville,  who  had  a 
commission  from  the  king,  applied  for  access  to  the  general ; 
he  was  desired  to  communicate  his  business  to  Morrice. 
14.  Granville  refused,  though  twice  urged,  to  deliver  his 
message  to  any  but  the  general  himself;  so  that  Monk, 
finding  that  he  could  depend  upon  this  minister's  secrecy, 
opened  to  him  his  whole  intentions;  but,  with  his  usual 
caution,  still  scrupled  to   commit  any  thing  to  paper.     In 


THE    COMMONWEALTH.  249 

consequence  of  this,  the  king  left  the  Spanish  territories, 
where  he  very  narrowly  escaped  being  detained  at  Breda  by 
the  governor,  under  the  pretence  of  treating  him  with  proper 
respect  and  formality.  From  thence  he  retired  into  Hol- 
land, where  he  resolved  to  wait  for  further  advice. 

15.  At  length  the  long-expected  day  for  the  sitting  of  a 
free  parliament  arrived.  The  affections  of  all  were  turned 
towards  the  king ;  yet  such  were  their  fears,  and  such  dan- 
gers attended  a  freedom  of  speech,  that  no  one  dared  for 
some  days  to  make  any  mention  of  his  name.  All  this  time 
Monk,  with  his  usual  reserve,  tried  their  temper,  and  exa- 
mined the  ardour  of  their  wishes  ;  at  length  he  gave  direc- 
tions to  Annesley,  president  of  the  council,  to  inform  them 
that  sir  John  Granville,  a  servant  of  the  king,  had  been  sent 
over  by  his  majesty,  and  was  now  at  the  door  with  a  letter 
to  the  commons. 

16.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  joy  and  transport  with 
which  this  message  was  received.  The  members,  for  a  mo- 
ment, forgot  the  dignity  of  their  situations,  and  indulged  in 
a  loud  acclamation  of  applause.  Granville  was  called  in, 
and  the  letter  eagerly  read.  A  moment's  pause  was  scarcely 
allowed  :  all  at  once  the  house  burst  into  an  universal  assent 
to  the  king's  proposals  ;  and  to  diffuse  the  joy  more  widely, 
it  was  voted  that  the  letter  and  indemnity  should  immediately 
be  published. 

17.  Charles  II.  entered  London  on  the  twenty-ninth  of 
May,  which  was  his  birth-day.  An  innumerable  concourse 
of  people  lined  the  way  wherever  he  passed,  and  rent  the 
air  with  their  acclamations.  They  had  been  so  long  dis- 
tracted by  unrelenting  factions,  oppressed  and  alarmed  by  a 
succession  of  tyrannies,  that  they  could  no  longer  suppress 
these  emotions  of  delight,  to  behold  their  constitution  restored, 
or  rather  like  a  phenix,  appearing  more  beautiful  and  vigor- 
ous from  the  ruins  of  its  former  conflagration. 

18.  Fanaticism,  with  its  long  train  of  gloomy  terrors,  fled 
at  the  approach  of  freedom  ;  the  arts  of  society  and  peace 
began  to  return ;  and  it  had  been  happy  for  the  people  if  the 
arts  of  luxury  had  not  entered  in  their  train.* 


*  A  great  number  of  religious  sects  sprung  up  in  England  during  the  civil  wars. 
That  of  the  Quakers  was  the  most  remarkable.  The  founder  was  George  Fox, 
born  at  Drayton,  in  Lancashire,  in  1624. 


250 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1,  2.  What  was  the  state  of  Cromwell's  mind,  and  what  was  his  con- 
duct previous  to  his  death  ? 
3.  When  did  he  die  ?  at  what  age  1   and  how  long  did  he  reign  ? 

5.  What  mode  of  life  did  Richard  Cromwell  prefer? 

6.  What  measures  were  now  determined  upon  ? 

7.  8.  What  consequences  followed  ? 

9 — 12.  What  was  now  the  conduct  of  General  Monk? 
13.  In  whom  did  general  Monk  confide  ? 

16.  Relate  the  particulars  which  preceded  the  king's  restoration. 

17.  At  what  time  did  Charles  II.  enter  London?  and  what  was  his 

reception  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 


Innocent  X 1644 

Alexander  VII 1655 

Emperors  of  Oermany. 

Ferdinand  III 1637 

Leopold 1658 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 
Mahomet  IV 1649 


King  of  France. 


Louis  XIV 1649 


King  of  Spain. 
Philip  IV 


1621 


King  of  Portugal. 

John  IV 1640 

Alphonso 1656 


King  of  Denmark. 

A.    D. 

Frederick  HI 1648 

King  and  Queen  of 


Christiana 1633 

Charles  X • 1653 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 

John  Milton,*  Waller;  Davenant ;  Cowley;  sir  John  Denham; 
Harrington ;  Harvey ;  Clarendon  ;  Selden  ;  Hobbs.  Admirals  Blake, 
Montague,  &c.  ;  Generals  Bradshaw,  Ireton,  Fairfax,  Monk,  Lambert, 
Fleetwood  ;  the  earl  of  Essex  ;  sir  Henry  Vane ;  Bulstrode  White- 
lock,  lord  keeper. 


*  Milton  was  the  greatest  epic  poet  that  England,  perhaps  that  the  world,  has 
ever  produced.  He  held  the  situation  of  Latin  Secretary  under  Oliver  Cromwell, 
and  was  permitted  to  retain  the  emoluments  of  his  office  after  he  had  become  blind. 
After  the  Restoration  he  was  deprived  of  his  office  ;  and  it  was  amid  all  the  dis- 
tress arising  from  blindness,  age  and  poverty,  that  Paradise  Lost,  the  most 
sublime  poem  which  adorns  any  language,  was  written. 


CHARLES    II.  251 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
CHARLES  II. 

Born  1630.    Died  February  6,  1635.     Began  to  reign  May  29, 1660. 
Reigned  24$  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Already  quench'd  sedition's  brand. 

And  zeal,  which  burnt  it,  only  warms  the  land.  —  Dryden. 

1.  (A.D.  1661.)  When  Charles  came  to  the  throne  he 
was  thirty  years  of  age,  possessed  of  an  agreeable  person, 
an  elegant  address,  and  an  engaging  manner.  His  whole 
demeanour  and  behaviour  were  well  calculated  to  support 
and  increase  popularity.  Accustomed,  during  his  exile,  to 
live  cheerfully  among  his  courtiers,  he  carried  the  same 
endearing  familiarities  to  the  throne ;  and,  from  the  levity 
of  his  temper,  no  injuries  were  dreaded  from  his  former 
resentments.  2.  But  it  was  soon  found  that  all  these  ad- 
vantages were  merely  superficial.  His  indolence  and  love 
of  pleasure  made  him  averse  to  all  kinds  of  business ;  his 
familiarities  were  prostituted  to  the  worst  as  well  as  to  the 
best  of  liis  subjects ;  and  he  took  no  care  to  reward  his 
former  friends,  as  he  had  taken  few  steps  to  be  avenged  of 
his  former  enemies. 

3.  Though  an  act  of  indemnity  was  passed,  those  who 
had  an  immediate  hand  in  the  king's  death  were  excepted. 
Cromwell,  Ireton,  and  Bradshaw,  though  dead,  were  con- 
sidered as  proper  objects  of  resentment ;  their  bodies  were 
dug  from  their  graves,  dragged  to  the  place  of  execution, 
and  after  hanging  some  time,  buried  under  the  gallows.  4. 
Of  the  rest  who  sat  in  judgment  in  the  late  monarch's 
trial,  some  were  dead,  and  some  thought  worthy  of  pardon* 
Ten  only,  out  of  fourscore,  were  devoted  to  destruction. 
These  were  enthusiasts,  who  had  all  along  acted  from 
principle,  and  who,  in  the  general  spirit  of  rage  excited 
against  them,  showed  a  fortitude  that  might  do  honour  to  a 
better  cause. 

5.  This  was  the  time  for  the  king  to  have  made  himself 
independent  of  all  parliaments ;  and  it  is  said  that  South- 
ampton, one  of  his  ministers,  had  thought  of  procuring  his 
master,  from  the  commons,  the  grant  of  a  revenue  of  two 
millions  a  year,  which  would  have  effectually  rendered  him 


252  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

absolute ;  but  in  this  his  views  were  obstructed  by  the 
great  Clarendon,  who,  though  attached  to  the  king,  was  still 
more  the  friend  of  liberty  and  the  laws.  6.  Charles,  how- 
ever, was  no  way  interested  in  these  opposite  views  of  his 
ministers  ;  he  only  desired  money  in  order  to  prosecute  his 
pleasures  ;  and,  provided  he  had  that,  he  little  regarded  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  obtained. 

7.  His  continual  exigencies  drove  him  constantly  to 
measures  no  way  suited  to  his  inclination.  Among  others 
was  his  marriage,  celebrated  at  this  time,  with  Catharine, 
infanta  of  Portugal,  who,  though  a  virtuous  princess,  pos- 
sessed, as  it  should  seem,  but  few  personal  attractions. 
It  was  the  portion  of  this  princess  that  the  needy  monarch 
was  enamoured  of,  which  amounted  to  three  hundred 
thousand  pounds,  together  with  the  fortresses  of  Tangier 
in  Africa,  and  of  Bombay  in  the  East  Indies.  8.  The 
chancellor  Clarendon,  the  duke  of  Ormond,  and  South- 
ampton urged  many  reasons  against  this  match,  and  op- 
posed it  with  all  their  influence ;  but  the  king  disregarded 
their  advice,  and  the  inauspicious  marriage  was  celebrated 
accordingly. 

9.  It  was  probably  with  a  view  of  recruiting  the  supply 
for  his  pleasures  that  he  was  induced  to  declare  war  against 
the  Dutch,  as  the  money  appointed  for  that  purpose  would 
go  through  his  hands.  In  this  naval  war,  which  continued 
to  rage  for  some  years  with  great  fierceness,  much  blood 
was  spilt  and  great  treasure  exhausted,  until  at  last  a  treaty 
was  concluded  at  Breda,  by  which  the  colony  of  New  York 
was  ceded  by  the  Dutch  to  the  English,  and  considered  as  a 
most  valuable  acquisition. 

10.  This  treaty  was  considered  as  inglorious  to  the  Eng- 
lish, as  they  failed  in  gaining  any  redress  upon  the  com- 
plaints which  give  rise  to  it.  Lord  Clarendon  particularly 
gained  a  share  of  blame,  both  for  having  advised  an  unne- 
cessary war,  and  then  for  concluding  a.  disgraceful  peace. 
He  had  been  long  declining  in  the  king's  favour,  and  he  was 
no  less  displeasing  to  the  majority  of  the  people. 

11.  This  seemed  the  signal  for  the  earl's  enemies  to  step 
in,  and  effect  his  entire  overthrow.  A  charge  was  opened 
against  him  in  the  house  of  commons,  by  Mr.  Seymour, 
consisting  of  seventeen  articles.  These,  which  were  only 
a  catalogue  of  the  popular  rumours  before  mentioned,  ap- 
peared, at  first  sight,  false  and  frivolous.  However,  Cla- 
rendon, finding  the  popular  torrent,  united  to  the  violence  of 


CHARLES   II.  253 

power,  running  with  impetuosity  against  him,  thought  pro- 
per to  withdraw  to  France. 

12.  Having  thus  got  rid  of  his  virtuous  minister,  the  king 
soon  after  resigned  himself  to  the  direction  of  a  set  of  men, 
who  afterwards  went  by  the  appellation  of  the  Cabal,  from  the 
initials  of  the  names  of  which  it  was  composed. 

13.  The  first  of  them,  sir  Thomas  Clifford,  was  a  man 
of  a  daring  and  impetuous  spirit,  rendered  more  dangerous 
by  eloquence  and  intrigue.  Lord  Ashley,  soon  after  known 
by  the  name  of  lord  Shaftesbury,  was  turbulent,  ambitious, 
subtle,  and  enterprising.  The  duke  of  Buckingham  was 
gay,  capricious,  with  some  wit,  and  great  vivacity.  Arling- 
ton was  a  man  of  very  moderate  capacity  ;  his  intentions 
were  good,  but  he  wanted  courage  to  persevere  in  them. 
Lastly,  the  duke  of  Lauderdale,  who  was  not  defective  in 
natural,  and  still  less  in  acquired  talents ;  but  neither  was 
his  address  graceful,  nor  his  understanding  just;  he  was 
ambitious,  obstinate,  insolent,  and  sullen.  14.  These  were 
the  men  to  whom  Charles  gave  up  the  conduct  of  his  affairs, 
and  who  plunged  the  remaining  part  of  his  reign  in  difficul- 
ties, which  produced  the  most  dangerous  symptoms. 

15.  From  this  inauspicious  combination  the  people  had 
entertained  violent  jealousies  against  the  court.  The  fears 
and  discontents  of  the  nation  were  vented  without  restraint ; 
the  apprehension  of  a  popish  successor,  an  abandoned  court, 
and  a  parliament,  which,  though  sometimes  assertors  of 
liberty,  yet  which  had  now  continued  for  seventeen  years 
without  change,  naturally  rendered  the  minds  of  mankind 
timid  and  suspicious,  and  they  only  wanted  objects  on 
which  to  wreak  their  ill-humours. 

The  gloom  which  hung  over  the  public  mind  was  still 
further  increased  by  two  fearful  calamities.  In  the  year 
1665  the  plague  broke  out  in  London,  and  raged  so  dread- 
fully that  68,596  persons  died  within  the  bills  of  mortality. 
The  following  year  was  as  fearfully  distinguished  by  the 
great  fire  of  London,  in  which  89  churches  and  13,200 
houses  were  consumed.  The  ruins  of  the  city  extended 
over  436  acres,  from  the  Tower  along  the  river  to  the 
Temple,  and  from  the  north-east  gate  along  the  city  wall 
to  Holborn-bridge.  Prompted  by  blind  rage,  some  ascribed 
the  guilt  of  this  accidental  conflagration  to  the  republicans, 
others  to  the  catholics  ;  though  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive 
how  the  burning  of  London  could  serve  the  purposes  of 
either  party.      As  the  papists  were  the  chief  objects  of 

Y 


354 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Dreadful  fire  in  London.  1666. 


public  detestation,  the  rumour  which  threw  the  guilt  on 
them  was  favourably  received  by  the  people.  No  proof, 
however,  or  even  presumption,  after  the  strictest  inquiry 
by  a  committee  of  parliament,  ever  appeared  to  authorize 
such  a  calumny  ;  yet  in  order  to  give  countenance  to  the 
popular  prejudice,  the  inscription  engraved  by  authority  on 
the  monument  ascribed  the  calamity  to  this  hated  sect. 
This  clause  was  erased  by  James  II.  after  his  ascension,  but 
was  again  restored  after  the  revolution.  So  credulous,  as 
well  as  obstinate,  are  the  people  in  believing  every  thing 
which  flatters  their  prevailing  passions. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1   What  engaging  qualities  did  Charles  possess  ? 

2.  Were  these  advantages  of  outward  behaviour  solid? 

3,  4.  What  proceedings  were  taken  against  those  who  were  concerned  in 

the  king's  death  ? 
5   What  proposition  did  Southampton  make  in  favour  of  Charles,  and  who 

opposed  it  ? 
7.  Whom  did  the  king  marry  ?  and  what  was  his  inducement? 
9.  What  is  supposed  to  have  induced  the  king  to  declare  war  against  the 

Dutch? 
.  0.  In  what  way  did  lord  Clarendon  incur  blame  ? 

11.  To  what  country  did  Clarendon  withdraw  ? 

12.  What  appellation  was  given  to  the  new  ministers  ? 

13.  Who  were  they? 

15.  What  consequences  followed  their  appointment 


CHARLES    II.  255 


SECTION  II. 


Some  genuine  plots  on  their  authors  were  fix'd. 
With  plots  to  invent  plots,  most  curiously  mix'd  ; 
For  Dangerfield.  Bedloe,  and  Gates,  found  a  Tongue 
To  affirm  half  the  natives  deserved  to  be  nung.  —  Dibdin. 

1  (A.  D.  1670.)  When  the  spirit  of  the  English  is  once 
roused,  they  either  find  objects  of  suspicion,  or  make  them. 
On  the  13th  of  August,  one  Kirby,  a  chemist,  accosted  the 
king,  as  he  was  walking  in  the  Park.  "  Sir,"  said  he, 
*•«  keep  within  the  company  ;  your  enemies  have  a  design 
upon  your  life,  and  you  may  be  shot  in  this  very  walk." 
2.  Being  questioned  in  consequence  of  this  strange  intima- 
tion, he  offered  to  produce  one  doctor  Tongue,  a  weak, 
credulous  clergyman,  who  told  him  that  two  persons,  named 
Grove  and  Pickering,  were  engaged  to  murder  the  king ; 
and  that  sir  George  Wakeman,  the  queen's  physician,  had 
undertaken  the  same  task  by  poison.  3.  Tongue  was  intro- 
duced to  the  king  with  a  bundle  of  papers  relating  to  this 
pretended  conspiracy,  and  was  referred  to  the  lord-treasurei 
Danby.  He  there  declared  that  the  papers  were  thrust  under 
his  door  ;  and  he  afterwards  asserted  that  he  knew  the  author 
of  them,  who  desired  that  his  name  might  be  concealed,  as 
he  dreaded  the  resentment  of  the  Jesuits. 

4.  This  information  appeared  so  vague  and  unsatisfactory 
that  the  king  concluded  the  whole  was  a  fiction.  However, 
Tongue  was  not  to  be  repressed  in  the  ardour  of  his  loyalty 
he  went  again  to  the  lord-treasurer,  and  told  him  that  a 
packet  of  letters,  written  by  Jesuits  concerned  in  the  plot, 
was  that  night  put  into  the  post-house  at  Windsor,  directed 
to  one  Bedingfield,  a  Jesuit,  who  was  confessor  to  the  duke 
of  York,  and  who  resided  there.  These  letters  had  actually 
been  received  a  few  hours  before  by  the  duke ;  but  he  had 
shown  them  to  the  king  as  a  forgery,  of  which  he  knew 
neither  the  drift  nor  the  meaning. 

5.  Titus  Oates,  who  was  the  fountain  of  all  this  dreadful 
intelligence,  was  produced  soon  after,  who,  with  seeming 
reluctance,  came  to  give  his  evidence.  This  Titus  Oates 
was  an  abandoned  miscreant,  obscure,  illiterate,  vulgar,  and 
indigent.  He  had  been  once  indicted  for  perjury,  was  after- 
wards chaplain  on  board  a  man-of-war,  and  dismissed  for 
crimnal  practices.  6.  He  then  professed  himself  a  Roman 
catholic,  and  crossed  the  sea  to  St.  Omer's,  where  he  was 
for  some  time  maintained  in  the  English  seminary  of  that 
ci'y.  At  a  time  that  he  was  supposed  to  have  been  intrusted 
with  a  secret  involving  the  fate  of  kings,  he  was  allowed  to 


256  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

remain  in  such  necessity,  that  Kirby  was  oblige!  to  supply 
him  with  daily  bread. 

7.  He  had  two  methods  to  proceed ;  either  to  ingratiate 
himself  by  this  information  with  the  ministry,  or  to  alarm 
the  people,  and  thus  turn  their  fears  to  his  advantage.  He 
chose  the  latter  method.  8.  He  went,  therefore,  with  his 
companions,  to  sir  Edmondsbury  Godfrey,  a  noted  and  active 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  before  him  deposed  to  a  narrative 
dressed  up  in  terrors  fit  to  make  an  impression  on  the  vulgar. 
The  pope,  he  said,  considered  himself  as  entitled  to  the  pos- 
session of  England  and  Ireland,  on  account  of  the  heresy  of 
the  prince  and  people,  and  had  accordingly  assumed  the 
sovereignty  of  these  kingdoms.  9.  The  king,  who  was 
ridiculed  by  the  Jesuits,  was  solemnly  tried  by  them, 
and  condemned  as  a  heretic.  Grove  and  Pickering,  to  make 
sure  work,  were  employed  to  shoot  the  king,  and  that  too 
with  silver  bullets.  The  duke  of  York  was  to  be  offered 
the  crown  in  consequence  of  the  success  of  these  probable 
schemes,  on  condition  of  extirpating  the  protestant  religion. 
Upon  his  refusal,  "  To  pot  James  must  go !"  as  the  Jesuits 
were  said  to  express  it. 

10.  In  consequence  of  this  dreadful  information,  suffi- 
ciently marked  with  absurdity,  vulgarity,  and  contradictions, 
Titus  Oates  became  the  favourite  of  the  people,  notwith- 
standing, during  his  examination  before  the  council,  he  so 
betrayed  the  grossness  of  his  impostures,  that  he  contradicted 
himself  in  every  step  of  his  narration. 

11.  A  great  number  of  the  Jesuits  mentioned  by  Oates 
were  immediately  taken  into  custody.  Coleman,  secretary 
to  the  duke  of  York,  who  was  said  to  have  acted  so  strenuous 
a  part  in  the  conspiracy,  at  first  retired,  and  next  day  sur- 
rendered himself  to  the  secretary  of  state  ;  and  some  of  his 
papers,  by  Oates's  directions,  were  secured. 

12.  In  this  fluctuation  of  passions  an  accident  served  to 
confirm  the  prejudices  of  the  people,  and  to  put  it  beyond  a 
doubt  that  Oates's  narrative  was  nothing  but  the  truth. 

Sir  Edmondsbury  Godfrey,  who  had  been  so  active  in  un- 
ravelling the  whole  mystery  of  the  popish  machinations, 
after  having  been  missing  some  days,  was  found  dead  in  a 
ditch  by  Primrose-hill,  in  the  way  to  Hampstead.  13.  The 
cause  of  his  death  remains,  and  must  still  continue,  a  secret ; 
but  the  people,  already  enraged  against  the  papists,  did  not 
hesitate  a  moment  to  ascribe  it  to  them.  The  body  of  God- 
frey was  carried  through  the  streets  in  procession,  preceded 


CHARLES  II.  257 

by  seventy  clergymen  ;  and  every  one  who  saw  it  made  no 
doubt  that  his  death  could  be  only  caused  by  the  papists. 
14.  Even  the  better  sort  of  people  were  infected  with  the 
vulgar  prejudice  ;  and  such  was  the  general  conviction  of 
popish  guilt,  that  no  person,  with  any  regard  to  persona] 
safety,  could  express  the  least  doubt  concerning  the  informa- 
tion of  Oates,  or  the  murder  of  Godfrey. 

15.  In  order  to  continue  and  propagate  the  alarm,  the 
parliament  affected  to  believe  it  true.  An  address  was  voted 
for  a  solemn  fast.  It  was  requested  that  all  papers  tending 
to  throw  light  upon  so  horrible  a  conspiracy  might  be  laid 
before  the  house  ;  that  all  papists  should  remove  from  Lon- 
don ;  that  access  should  be  denied  at  court  to  all  unknown 
and  suspicious  persons  ;  and  that  the  train-bands  in  London 
and  Westminster  should  be  in  readiness  to  march.  1 6.  Oates 
was  recommendeoVto  parliament  by  the  king.  He  was  lodged 
in  Whitehall,  and  encouraged  by  a  pension  of  twelve  hundred 
pounds  a  year  to  proceed  in  forging  new  informations. 

The  encouragement  given  to  Oates  did  not  fail  to  bring  in 
others  also,  who  hoped  to  profit  by  the  delusion  of  tne  times. 
17.  William  Bedloe,  a  man,  if  possible,  more  infamous  than 
Oates,  appeared  next  upon  the  stage.  He  was,  like  the 
former,  of  very  low  birth,  and  had  been  noted  for  several 
cheats  and  thefts.  This  man,  at  his  own  desire,  was  arrested 
at  Bristol,  and  conveyed  to  London,  where  he  declared  before 
the  council  that  he  had  seen  the  body  of  sir  Edmondsbury 
Godfrey  at  Somerset-house,  where  the  queen  lived.  18.  He 
said  that  a  servant  of  Lord  Bellasis  offered  to  give  him  four 
thousand  pounds  if  he  would  carry  it  off ;  and,  finding  all 
his  information  greedily  received,  he  confirmed  and  height- 
ened Oates's  plot  with  aggravated  horrors. 

19.  Thus  encouraged  by  the  general  voice  in  their  favour, 
the  witnesses,  who  had  all  along  enlarged  their  narratives  in 
proportion  as  they  were  eagerly  received,  went  a  step  further, 
and  ventured  to  accuse  the  queen.  The  commons,  in  an 
address  to  the  king,  gave  countenance  to  this  scandalous  ac- 
cusation ;  the  lords  rejected  it  with  becoming  disdain. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  In  what  manner  did  Kirby  address  the  king? 
2 — 4.  Relate  the  circumstances  of  a  pretended  conspiracy. 
5.  What  was  the  character  of  the  principal  actor  in  this  business  ? 
7 — 11.  By  what  means  did  he  proceed  ? 

12 — 14.  What  accident  served  to  confirm  the  prejudices  of  the  people  f 

Y  2 


258  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

15.  What  means  were  taken  to  continue  the  alarm  ? 
J  6.  How  was  Oates  treated  by  the  government  ? 
17.  What  other  delusion  followed  ? 
19.  Whom  did  they  afterwards  venture  to  accuse  * 


SECTION  III. 

O  think  what  anxious  moments  pass  between 

The  birth  of  plots,  and  their  last  fatal  periods  ! 

O  'tis  a  dreadful  interval  of  time, 

Made  up  of  horror  all,  and  big  with  death. — Addison. 

1.  (A.  D.  1675.)  Edward  Coleman,  secretary  to  the  duke 
of  York,  was  the  first  who  was  brought  to  trial,  as  being 
most  obnoxious  to  those  who  pretended  to  fear  the  introduc- 
tion of  popery.  Bedloe  swore  that  he  received  a  commis- 
sion, signed  by  the  superior  of  the  Jesuits,  appointing  him 
papal  secretary  of  state,  and  that  he  had  consented  to  the 
king's  assassination.  2.  Afte"r  this  unfortunate  man's  sen- 
tence, thus  procured  by  these  vipers,  many  members  of  both 
houses  offered  to  interpose  in  his  behalf,  if  he  would  make 
ample  confession  ;  but  as  he  was,  in  reality,  possessed  of  no 
treasonable  secrets,  he  would  not  procure  life  by  falsehood 
and  imposture.  He  suffered  with  calmness  and  constancy  ; 
and,  to  the  last,  persisted  in  the  strongest  protestations  of  his 
innocence. 

3.  The  trial  of  Coleman  was  succeeded  by  those  of  Ire- 
land, Pickering,  and  Grove.  They  protested  their  inno- 
cence, but  were  found  guilty.  The  unhappy  men  went  to 
execution  protesting  their  innocence,  a  circumstance  which 
made  no  impression  on  the  spectators  ;  but  their  being  Jesuits 
banished  even  pity  for  their  sufferings. 

4.  Hill,  Green,  and  Berry  were  tried  upon  the  evidence 
of  one  Miles  Prance,  for  the  murder  of  Godfrey  ;  but  though 
Bedloe's  narrative  and  Prance's  information  were  totally 
irreconcileable,  and  though  their  testimony  was  invalidated 
by  contrary  evidence,  all  was  in  vain:  the  prisoners  were 
condemned  and  executed.  They  all  denied  their  guilt  at 
execution ;  and,  as  Berry  died  a  protestant,  this  circumstance 
was  regarded  as  very  considerable. 

5.  Whitebread,  provincial  of  the  Jesuits,  Fenwick,  Gaven, 
Turner,  and  Harcourt,  all  of  them  of  the  same  order,  were 
brought  to  their  trial ;  and  Langhorne  soon  after.  Besides 
Oates  and  Bedloe,  Dugdale,  a  new  witness,  appeared  against 
the  prisoners.  This  man  spread  the  alarm  still  further,  and 
even  asserted  that  two  hundred  thousand  papists  in  England 
were  ready  to  take  up  arms.     6.  The  prisoners  proved,  by 


CHARLES  II.  259 

sixteen  witnesses  from  St.  Omer's,  that  Oates  was  in  that 
seminary  at  the  time  he  swore  he  was  in  London.  But,  as 
they  were  papists,  their  testimony  could  gain  no  manner  o' 
credit.  All  pleas  availed  them  nothing:  but  the  Jesuits  and 
Langhorne  were  condemned  and  executed  ;  with  their  last 
breath  denying  the  crime  for  which  they  died. 

7.  The  informers  had  less  success  on  the  trial  of  sir 
George  Wakeman,  the  queen's  physician,  who,  though  they 
swore  with  their  usual  animosity,  was  acquitted.  His  con- 
demnation would  have  involved  the  queen  in  his  guilt ;  and 
it  is  probable  the  judge  and  jury  were  afraid  of  venturing 
so  far. 

8.  The  earl  of  Stafford,  nearly  two  years  after,  was  the 
last  man  that  fell  a  sacrifice  to  these  bloody  wretches  ;  the 
witnesses  produced  against  him  were  Oates,  Dugdale,  and 
Tuberville.  Oates  swore  that  he  saw  Fenwick,  the  Jesuit, 
deliver  Stafford  a  commission  from  the  general  of  the  Jesuits, 
constituting  him  paymaster  of  the  papal  army.  9.  The 
clamour  and  outrage  of  the  populace  against  the  prisoner 
was  very  great :  he  was  found  guilty,  and  condemned  to  be 
hanged  and  quartered  ;  but  the  king  changed  his  sentence 
into  that  of  beheading.  He  was  executed  on  Tower-hill, 
where  even  his  persecutors  could  not  forbear  shedding  tears 
at  that  serene  fortitude  which  shone  in  every  feature,  motion, 
and  accent  of  this  aged  nobleman. 

10.  This  parliament  had  continued  to  sit  for  seventeen 
years  without  interruption,  wherefore  a  new  one  was  called  ; 
in  which  was  passed  the  celebrated  statute,  called  the  Habeas 
Corpus  Act,  which  confirms  the  subject  in  an  absolute  se- 
curity from  oppressive  power.  By  this  act  it  was  prohibited 
to  send  any  one  to  prison  beyond  the  sea  :  no  judge,  under 
severe  penalties,  was  to  refuse  to  any  prisoner  his  writ  of 
habeas  corpus  ;  by  which  the  jailer  was  to  produce  in  court 
the  body  of  the  prisoner,  whence  the  writ  had  its  name,  and 
to  certify  the  cause  of  his  detainer  and  imprisonment. 

11.  If  the  jail  lie  within  twenty  miles  of  the  judge,  the 
writ  must  be  conveyed  in  three  days,  and  so  proportionably 
for  greater  distances.  Every  prisoner  must  be  indicted  the 
first  term  of  his  commitment,  and  brought  to  trial  the  sub- 
sequent term ;  and  no  man,  after  being  enlarged  by  court, 
can  be  recommitted  for  the  same  offence. 

12.  The  Meal-tub  Plot,  as  it  was  called,  soon  followed 
the  former.  One  Dangerfield,  more  infamous,  if  possible, 
than  Oates  and  Bedloe,  a  wretch  who  had  been  set  in  the 


260  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

pillory,  scourged,  branded,  and  transported  for  felony  and 
coining,  hatched  a  plot,  in  conjunction  with  a  person, 
whose  name  was  Cellier,  a  Roman  catholic  of  abandoned 
character.  Dangerfield  began  by  declaring  that  there  was 
a  design  on  foot  to  set  up  a  new  form  of  government,  and 
remove  the  king  and  the  royal  family.  13.  He  communi- 
cated this  intelligence  to  the  king  and  the  duke  of  York, 
who  supplied  him  with  money,  and  countenanced  his  dis- 
covery. He  hid  some  seditious  papers  in  the  lodgings  of 
one  colonel  Mansel :  and  then  brought  the  custom-house 
officers  to  his  apartment,  to  search  for  smuggled  merchan- 
dise. The  papers  were  found  ;  and  the  council,  having 
examined  the  affair,  concluded  they  were  forged  by  Danger- 
field.  14.  They  ordered  all  the  places  he  frequented  to  be 
searched ;  and  in  the  house  of  Cellier  the  whole  scheme  of 
the  conspiracy  was  discovered  upon  paper,  concealed  in  a 
meal-tub,  from  whence  the  plot  had  its  name.  Dangerfield, 
being  committed  to  Newgate,  made  an  ample  confession  of 
the  forgery,  which,  though  probably  entirely  of  his  own 
contrivance,  he  ascribed  to  the  earl  of  Castlemain,  the 
countess  of"  Powis,  and  the  five  lords  in  the  Tower.  15.  He 
said  that  the  design  was  to  suborn  witnesses  to  prove  ? 
charge  of  perjury  upon  Oates,  to  assassinate  the  earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  to  accuse  the  dukes  of  Monmouth  and  Bucking- 
ham, the  earls  of  Essex,  Halifax,  and  others,  of  having 
been  concerned  in  the  conspiracy  against  the  king  and 
his  brother.  Upon  this  information  the  earl  of  Castlemain 
and  the  countess  of  Powis  were  sent  to  the  Tower,  and 
the  king  himself  was  suspected  of  encouraging  this  impos- 
ture. 

16.  The  chief  point  which  the  present  house  of  commons 
laboured  to  obtain  was  the  exclusion  bill,  which,  though 
the  former  house  had  voted,  was  never  passed  into  a  law. 
Shaftesbury,  and  many  considerable  men  of  the  party,  had 
rendered  themselves  so  obnoxious  to  the  duke  of  York,  that 
they  could  find  safety  in  no  measure  but  in  his  ruin.  Mon- 
mouth's friends  hoped  that  the  exclusion  of  James  would 
make  room  for  their  own  patron.  17.  The  duke  of  York's 
professed  bigotry  to  the  catholic  superstition  influenced 
numbers :  and  his  tyrannies,  which  were  practised  without 
control  while  he  continued  in  Scotland,  rendered  his  name 
odious  to  thousands.  In  a  week,  therefore,  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  session,  a  motion  was  made  for  bringing 
in  a  bill  for  excluding  him  from  the  succession  to  the  throne 


CHARLES    II.  261 

and  a  committee  was  appointed  for  that  purpose.  The 
debates  were  carried  on  with  great  violence  on  both  sides. 
The  king  was  present  during  the  whole  debate  ;  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  bill  thrown  out  by  a  very  great 
majority. 

Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  Who  was  first  brought  to  trial  ? 

2.  What  was  his  behaviour  at  his  execution  ? 

3.  4.  Who  were  the  next  that  suffered  ? 

5.  What  others  were  tried  for  their  lives  ? 

6.  By  what  means  did  they  prove  their  innocence  ? 

7.  Which  of  the  accused  was  acquitted  ? 

8.  Who  was  the  last  that  fell  a  victim  to  these  wretches  ? 
What  was  the  evidence  against  him  ? 

9.  What  sentence  was  passed  upon  the  earl  of  Stafford  ? 
What  effect  had  his  fortitude  on  the  beholders  of  his  death? 

JO,  11.  What  were  the  particulars  of  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act? 

12.  What  plot  was  now  laid,  and  who  was  the  principal  actor  in  it? 

13.  How  and  when  was  it  discovered  ? 

16, 17.  What  now  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Commons? 


SECTION  IV. 

Yet  sometimes  nations  will  decline  so  low 
From  virtue,  which  is  reason,  that  no  wrong, 
But  justice,  and  some  fatal  course  annex'd. 
Deprives  them  of  their  outward  liberty. 
Their  inward  lost.  —  Milton. 


1.  (A.  D.  1683.)  Each  party  had  for  some  time  reviled 
and  ridiculed  the  other  in  pamphlets  and  libels  ;  and  this 
practice  at  last  was  attended  with  an  accident  that  deserves 
notice.  One  Fitzharris,  an  Irish  papist,  dependent  on 
the  dutchess  of  Portsmouth,  one  of  the  king's  favourites, 
used  to  supply  her  with  these  occasional  publications. 
2.  But  he  was  resolved  to  add  to  their  number  by  his  own 
endeavours  ;  and  he  employed  one  Everhard,  a  Scotch- 
man, to  write  a  libel  against  the  king  and  the  duke  of 
York.  The  Scot  was  actually  a  spy  for  the  opposite  party  ; 
and  supposing  this  a  trick  to  entrap  him,  he.  discovered 
the  whole  to  sir  William  Waller,  an  eminent  justice  of 
peace ;  and  to  convince  him  of  the  truth  of  this  informa- 
tion, posted  him  and  two  other  persons,  privately,  where 
they  heard  the  whole  conference  between  Fitzharris  and 
himself.  3.  The  libel  composed  between  them  was  replete 
with  the  utmost  rancour  and  scurrility.  Waller  carried  the 
intelligence  to  the.  king,  and  obtained  a  warrant  for  com- 
mitting Fitzharris,  who  happened  at  that  very  time  to  have 
a  copy  of  the  libel  in  his  pocket.  Seeing  himself  in  the 
hands  of  a  party  from  which  he  expected  no  mercy,  he 


262  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

resolved  to  side  with  them,  and  throw  the  odium  of  the 
libel  on  the  court,  who,  he  said,  were  willing  to  draw  out  a 
libel  which  should  be  imputed  to  the  exclusioners,  and  thus 
render  them  hateful  to  the  people.  4.  He  enhanced  his 
services  with  the  country  party  by  a  new  popish  plot,  still 
more  tremendous  than  any  of  the  foregoing.  He  brought 
in  the  duke  of  York,  as  a  principal  accomplice  in  the  plot, 
and  as  a  contriver  in  the  murder  of  sir  Edmondsbury 
Godfrey. 

5.  The  king  imprisoned  Fitzharris  ;  the  commons  avowed 
his  cause.  They  voted  that  he  should  be  impeached  by 
themselves,  to  secure  him  from  the  ordinary  forms  of  jus- 
tice;  the  lords  rejected  the  impeachment;  the  commons 
asserted  their  right ;  a  commotion  was  likely  to  ensue ; 
and  the  king,  to  break  off  the  contest,  went  to  the  house, 
and  dissolved  the  parliament,  with  a  fixed  resolution  never 
to  call  another. 

6.  This  vigorous  measure  was  a  blow  that  the  parlia- 
ment had  never  expected;  and  nothing  but  the  necessity 
of  the  times  could  have  justified  the  king's  manner  of 
proceeding.  From  that  moment,  which  ended  the  parlia- 
mentary commotions,  Charles  seemed  to  rule  with  despotic 
power,  and  he  was  resolved  to  leave  the  succession  to  his 
brother,  but  clogged  with  all  the  faults  and  misfortunes  of 
his  own  administration.  7.  His  temper,  which  had  always 
been  easy  and  merciful,  now  became  arbitrary,  and  even 
cruel ;  he  entertained  spies  and  informers  round  the  throne, 
and  imprisoned  all  such  as  he  thought  most  daring  in  their 
designs. 

8.  He  resolved  to  humble  the  presbyterians  ;  these  were 
divested  of  their  employments  and  their  places  ;  and  their 
offices  given  to  such  as  held  with  the  court,  and  approved 
tne  doctrine  of  non-resistance.  The  clergy  began  to  testify 
their  zeal  and  their  principles  by  their  writings  and  their 
sermons  ;  but  though,  among  these  the  partisans  of  the  king 
were  the  most  numerous,  those  of  the  opposite  faction  were 
the  most  enterprising.  9.  The  king  openly  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  former ;  and  thus  placing  himself  at  the  head 
of  a  faction,  he  deprived  the  city  of  London,  which  had 
long  headed  the  popular  party,  of  their  charter.  It  was  not 
till  after  an  abject  submission  that  he  returned  it  to  them, 
having  previously  subjected  the  election  of  their  magistrates 
to  his  immediate  authority. 

10.  Terrors  also  were  not  wanting  to  confirm  this  new 


CHARLES  II.  263 

species  of  monarchy.  Fitzharris  was  brought  to  trial  be- 
fore a  jury,  and  condemned  and  executed.  The  whole 
gang  of  spies,  witnesses,  informers,  and  suborners,  which 
had  long  been  encouraged  and  supported  by  the  leading 
patriots,  finding  now  that  the  king  was  entirely  master, 
turned  short  upon  their  ancient  drivers,  and  offered  their 
evidence  against  those  who  had  first  put  them  in  motion. 
The  king's  ministers,  with  a  horrid  satisfaction,  gave  them 
countenance  and  encouragement ;  so  that  soon  the  same 
cruelties,  and  the  same  injustice,  were  practised  against 
presbyterian  schemes,  that  had  been  employed  against  catho- 
lic treasons. 

11.  The  first  person  that  fell  under  the  displeasure  of  the 
ministry  was  one  Stephen  College,  a  London  joiner,  who 
had  become  so  noted  for  his  zeal  against  popery,  that  he 
went  by  the  name  of  the  protestant  joiner.  He  had  at 
tended  the  city  members  to  Oxford,  armed  with  sword  and 
pistol ;  he  had  been  sometimes  heard  to  speak  irreverently 
of  the  king,  and  was  now  presented  by  the  grand  jury  of 
London  as  guilty  of  sedition.  12.  A  jury,  at  Oxford,  after 
half  an  hour's  deliberation,  brought  him  in  guilty,  and  the 
spectators  testified  their  inhuman  pleasure  with  a  shout  of 
applause.  He  bore  his  fate  with  unshaken  fortitude ;  and 
at  the  place  of  execution  denied  the  crime  for  which  he  had 
been  condemned. 

13.  The  power  of  the  crown  became  at  this  time  irre- 
sistible (A.  D.  1683),  the  city  of  London  having  been  de- 
prived of  their  charter,  which  was  restored  only  upon  terms 
of  submission ;  and  the  giving  up  the  nomination  of  their 
own  magistrates  was  so  mortifying  a  circumstance,  that  all 
the  other  corporations  in  England  soon  began  to  fear  the 
same  treatment,  and  were  successively  induced  to  surrender 
their  charters  into  the  hands  of  the  king.  Considerable 
sums  were  exacted  for  restoring  these  charters  ;  and  all  the 
offices  of  power  and  profit  were  left  at  the  disposal  of  the 
crown.  14.  Resistance  now,  however  justifiable,  could  not 
be  safe,  and  all  prudent  men  saw  no  other  expedient,  but 
peaceably  submitting  to  the  present  grievances.  But  there 
was  a  party  in  England  that  still  cherished  their  former 
ideas  of  freedom,  and  were  resolved  to  hazard  every  danger 
in  its  defence. 

15.  The  duke  of  Monmouth,  the  king's  natural  son, 
engaged  the  earl  of  Macclesfield,  lord  Brandon,  sir 
Gilbert    Gerrard,     and     other     gentlemen     in    Cheshire, 


264  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

in  his  cause.  Lord  Russel  fixed  a  correspondence  with 
sir  William  Courtney,  sir  Francis  Rowles,  and  sir  Francis 
Drake,  who  promised  to  raise  the  west.  Shaftesbury, 
with  one  Ferguson,  an  independent  clergyman,  and  a  rest- 
less plotter,  managed  the  city,  upon  which  the  confederates 
chiefly  relied.  It  was  now  that  this  turbulent  man  found 
his  schemes  most  likely  to  take  effect. 

16.  After  the  disappointment  and  destruction  of  a  hun- 
dred plots,  he  at  last  began  to  be  sure  of  this.  But  this 
scheme,  like  all  the  former,  was  disappointed.  The  caution 
of  lord  Russel,  who  induced  the  duke  of  Monmouth  to  put 
off  the  enterprise,  saved  the  kingdom  from  the  horrors  of  a 
civil  war ;  while  Shaftesbury  was  so  struck  with  the  sense 
of  his  impending  danger,  that  he  left  his  house,  and  lurking 
about  the  city,  attempted,  but  in  vain,  to  drive  the  London- 
ers into  open  insurrection.  17.  At  last,  enraged  at  the 
numberless  cautions  and  delays  which  clogged  and  defeated 
his  projects,  he  threatened  to  begin  with  his  friends  alone. 
However,  after  a  long  struggle  between  fear  and  rage,  he 
abandoned  all  hopes  of  success,  and  fled  out  of  the  kingdom 
to  Amsterdam,  where  he  ended  his  turbulent  life  soon 
after,  without  being  pitied  by  his  friends  or  feared  by  his 
enemies. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1,  2.  What  incident  next  deserves  notice  ? 

3,  4.  How  did  the  commons  act  on  this  occasion  ?  and  what  was  the  conse 

quence  ? 
ft.  How  did  the  dispute  end  between  the  king  and  parliament  ? 

7.  What  was  now  the  temper  of  the  king? 

8.  How  did  the  clergy  act  ? 

9.  Of  what  did  the  king  deprive  the  city  of  London  ? 

10.  What  was  now  the  conduct  of  the  spies? 

11,  12.  Who  first  fell  under  the  ministry's  displeasure  ?  and  on  what  occa 

sion? 
13,  14.  What  resulted  from  the  great  power  of  the  crown? 

15.  Bv  whom  was  resistance  made  ? 

16,  Yl.  What  was  the  issue  of  it? 


SECTION  V. 

But  lot  the  bold  conspirator  beware, 

For  heav'n  makes  princes  its  peculiar  care.  —  Dry  den. 

1.  (A.  D.  1684.)  The  loss  of  Shaftesbury,  though  it  re- 
tarded the  views  of  the  conspirators,  did  not  suppress  them. 
A  council  of  six  was  elected,  consisting  of  Monmouth,  Rus- 


CHARLES    II.  265 

wl,  Essex,  Howard,  Algernon  Sidney,  and  John  Hampden, 
grandson  to  the  great  man  of  that  name. 

2.  Such,  together  with  the  duke  of  Argyle,  were  the 
leaders  of  this  conspiracy.  But  there  was  also  a  set  of 
subordinate  conspirators,  who  frequently  met  together  and 
carried  on  projects  quite  unknown  to  Monmouth  and  his 
council.  Among  these  men  were  colonel  Rumsey,  an  old 
republican  officer,  together  with  lieutenant-colonel  Walcot, 
of  the  same  stamp  ;  Goodenough,  under-sheriff  of  London, 
a  zealous  and  noted  party -man  ;  Ferguson,  an  independent 
minister ;  and  several  attorneys,  merchants,  and  tradesmen 
of  London.  3.  But  colonel  Rumsey  and  Ferguson  were 
the  only  persons  that  had  access  to  the  great  leaders  of  the 
conspiracy.  These  men  in  their  meetings  embraced  the 
most  desperate  resolutions.  They  proposed  to  assassinate 
the  king  on  his  way  to  Newmarket;  Rumbal,  one  of  the 
party,  possessed  a  farm  upon  that  road  called  the  Rye-house, 
and  from  thence  the  conspiracy  was  denominated  the  Rye- 
house  plot.  4.  They  deliberated  upon  a  scheme  of  stopping 
the  king's  coach,  by  overturning  a  cart  on  the  highway  at 
this  place,  and  shooting  him  through  the  hedges.  The 
house  in  which  the  king  lived  at  Newmarket  took  fire  ac- 
cidentally, and  he  was  obliged  to  leave  Newmarket  eight 
days  sooner  than  was  expected,  to  which  circumstance  his 
safety  was  ascribed. 

5.  Among  the  conspirators  was  one  Keiling,  who  finding 
himself  in  danger  of  a  prosecution  for  arresting  the  lord- 
mayor  of  London,  resolved  to  earn  his  pardon  by  discover- 
ing this  plot  to  the  ministry.  Colonel  Rumsey,  and  West, 
a  lawyer,  no  sooner  understood  that  this  man  had  informed 
against  them,  than  they  agreed  to  save  themselves  by  turning 
king's  evidence,  and  they  surrendered  themselves  accord- 
ingly. 6.  Monmouth  absconded ;  Russel  was  sent  to  the 
Tower ;  Grey  escaped ;  Howard  was  taken,  concealed  in  a 
chimney  ;  Essex,  Sidney,  and  Hampden  were  soon  after 
arrested,  and  had  the  mortification  to  find  lord  Howard  an 
evidence  against  them. 

7.  Walcot  was  first  brought  to  trial  and  condemned, 
together  with  Hone  and  Rouse,  two  associates  in  the  con- 
spiracy, upon  the  evidence  of  Rumsey,  West,  and  Shep- 
pard.  They  died  penitent,  acknowledging  the  justness  of 
the  sentence  by  which  they  were  executed.  A  much 
greater  sacrifice  was  shortly  after  to  follow.  This  was  the 
lord  Russel,  son  of  the  earl  of  Bedford,  a  nobleman  of  num- 

Z 


266  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

berless  good  qualities,  and  led  into  this  conspiracy  from  a 
conviction  of  the  duke  of  York's  intention  to  restore  popery. 
8.  He  was  liberal,  popular,  humane,  and  brave.  All  his 
virtues  were  so  many  crimes  in  the  present  suspicious  dis- 
position of  the  court.  The  chief  evidence  against  him  was 
lord  Howard,  a  man  of  very  bad  character,  one  of  the  con- 
spirators, who  was  now  contented  to  take  life  upon  such 
terms,  and  to  accept  of  infamous  safety.  9.  This  witness 
swore  that  Russel  was  engaged  in  the  design  of  an  insur- 
rection ;  but  he  acquitted  him,  as  he  did  also  Rumsey  and 
West,  of  being  privy  to  the  assassination.  The  jury,  who 
were  zealous  royalists,  after  a  short  deliberation,  brought 
the  prisoner  in  guilty,  and  he  was  condemned  to  suffer  be- 
heading. The  scaffold  for  his  execution  was  erected  in 
Lincoln-inn-fields ;  he  laid  his  head  on  the  block  without 
the  least  change  of  countenance,  and  at  two  strokes  it  was 
severed  from  his  body. 

10.  The  celebrated  Algernon  Sidney,  son  to  the  earl  of 
Leicester,  was  next  brought  to  his  trial.  He  had  been 
formerly  engaged  in  the  parliamentary  army  against  the  late 
king,  and  was  even  named  on  the  high  court  of  justice  that 
tried  him,  but  he  had  not  taken  his  seat  among  the  judges. 
11.  He  had  ever  opposed  Cromwell's  usurpation,  and  went 
into  voluntary  banishment  on  the  restoration.  His  affairs, 
however,  requiring  his  return,  he  applied  to  the  king  for  a 
pardon,  and  obtained  his  request.  But  all  his  hopes  and  all 
his  reasonings  were  formed  upon  republican  principles.  For 
his  adored  republic  he  had  written  and  fought,  and  went 
into  banishment  and  ventured  to  return.  12.  It  may  easily 
be  conceived  how  obnoxious  a  man  of  such  principles  was 
to  a  court  that  now  was  not  even  content  to  be  without 
limitations  to  its  power.  They  went  so  far  as  to  take  illegal 
methods  to  procure  his  condemnation.  The  only  witness 
that  deposed  against  Sidney  was  lord  Howard,  and  the  law 
required  two.  13.  In  order,  therefore,  to  make  out  a  se 
cond  witness,  they  had  recourse  to  a  very  extraordinary  ex- 
pedient. In  ransacking  his  closet,  some  discourses  on  go- 
vernment were  found  in  his  own  handwriting,  containing 
principles  favourable  to  liberty,  and  in  themselves  no  way 
subversive  of  a  limited  government.  By  overstraining,  some 
of  these  were  construed  into  treason.  14.  It  was  in  vain 
he  alleged  that  papers  were  no  evidence  ;  that  it  could  not 
be  proved  they  were  written  by  him ;  that,  if  proved,  the 
papers  themselves  contained  nothing  criminal.    His  defence 


CHARLES    II.  267 

was  overruled ;  the  violent  and  inhuman  Jefferies,  who  was 
now  chief-justice,  easily  prevailed  on  a  partial  jury  to  bring 
him  in  guilty,  and  his  execution  followed  soon  after.  15. 
One  can  scarce  contemplate  the  transactions  of  this  reign 
without  horror.  Such  a  picture  of  factious  guilt  on  each 
side  ;  a  court  at  once  immersed  in  sensuality  and  blood,  a 
people  armed  against  each  other  with  the  most  deadly  ani- 
mosity, and  no  single  party  to  be  found  with  sense  enough 
to  stem  the  general  torrent  of  rancour  and  factious  suspicion. 

Hampden  was  tried  soon  after,  and  as  there  was  nothing 
to  affect  his  life,  he  was  fined  forty  thousand  pounds.  Hol- 
loway,  a  merchant  of  Bristol,  who  had  fled  to  the  West  In- 
dies, was  brought  over,  condemned,  and  executed.  Sir 
Thomas  Armstrong  also,  who  had  fled  to  Holland,  was 
brought  over,  and  shared  the  same  fate.  17.  Lord  Essey, 
who  had  been  imprisoned  in  the  Tower,  was  found  in  an 
apartment  with  his  throat  cut ;  but  whether  he  was  guilty 
of  suicide,  or  whether  the  bigotry  of  the  times  might  not 
have  induced  some  assassin  to  commit  the  crime,  cannot  now 
be  known. 

This  was  the  last  blood  that  was  shed  for  an  imputation 
of  plots  or  conspiracies,  which  continued  during  the  greatest 
part  of  this  reign. 

18.  At  this  period  the  government  of  Charles  was  as  ab- 
solute as  that  of  any  monarch  in  Europe ;  but,  happily  for 
mankind,  his  tyranny  was  but  of  short  duration.  The  king 
was  seized  with  a  sudden  fit,  which  resembled  an  apoplexy  ; 
and  although  he  was  recovered  by  bleeding,  yet  he  languish- 
ed only  for  a  few  days,  and  then  expired,  in  the  fifty-fifth 
year  of  his  age,  and  twenty-fifth  of  his  reign.  During  his 
illness  some  clergymen  of  the  church  of  England  attended 
him,  to  whom  he  discovered  a  total  indifference.  Catholic 
priests  were  brought  to  his  bedside,  and  from  their  hands  he 
received  the  rites  of  their  communion. 

In  this  reign  was  begun  the  celebrated  naval  hospital  at 
Greenwich.  The  design  was  by  Inigo  Jones,  and  it  was  in- 
tended as  a  royal  palace.  It  remained  unfinished  till  the 
reign  of  William  III.,  when  it  was  converted  to  its  present 
use.  It  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  three  wings,  en- 
riched by  donations,  and  by  a  tax  of  6d.  a  month  from  every 
seaman,  and  it  now  supports  3,000  boarders,  and  pays  pen- 
sions to  5,400  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom. 


268 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Greenwich  Hospital. 

The  reign  of  Charles  II.,  which  some  preposterously  re- 
present  as  our  Augustan  age,  retarded  the  progress  of- polite 
literature ;  and  the  immeasurable  licentiousness  indulged,  or 
rather  applauded  at  court,  was  more  destructive  to  the  fine 
arts,  than  even  the  court  nonsense  and  enthusiasm  of  the 
preceding  period. — Hume. 

Bishop  Burnet,  in  his  History  of  his  own  Times,  says, 
there  were  apparent  suspicions  that  Charles  had  been  poi- 
soned. He  also  observes  that  the  King's  body  was  inde- 
cently neglected  ;  his  funeral  was  very  mean ;  he  did  not 
lie  in  state ;  no  mourning  was  given,  and  the  expense  of  it 
was  not  equal  to  what  an  ordinary  nobleman's  funeral  will 

amount  to.  

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  new  conspiracy  was  formed? 

2.  Who  were  the  subordinate  conspirators? 

3.  4.  What  were  their  desperate  resolutions  ? 

5.  In  what  manner  was  this  plot  discovered  ? 

6.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  conspirators  ? 

7.  What  eminent  nobleman  was  concerned  in  this  conspiracy? 

8.  Describe  the  character  of  Russel.    Who  was  principal  evidence  against  him  ? 

9.  Whe/e  did  lord  Russel  suffer? 

10.  Who  was  the  next  brought  to  trial  ? 

11.  Describe  the  character  and  conduct  of  Algernon  Sidney. 

12.  13.  What  methods  were  taken  to  procure  his  condemnation? 

14.  Was  bis  defence  attended  to  ?  and  by  whom  was  he  tried  ? 

15.  What  dreadful  pictuje  did  the  kingdom  now  present  ? 

16.  17.  What  other  persons  suffered  ? 

IS.  Describe  the  mariner  of  the  death  of  the  king. 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Pope. 

A.    D. 

Alexander  VII 1655 

Clement  IX 1667 

Innocent  XI 1676 

Clement  X 1679 


Emperor  of  Germany.  King  of  Spain. 

Philip  IV 

Leopold 1658lCharles  II 


Emperor  of  the  Turks. 

A.    D. 

Mahomet  IV 1649 

King  of  France. 
Louis  XIV 1643 


1665 


Kings  of  Portugal. 

A.    0. 

Alphonso  VI 1656 

Pedro  II.... 1688 

Kings  of  Denmark. 

Frederick  III 1648 

Christian  V 1670 

King  of  Sweden. 
Charles  XI 1660 


'      JAMES  II.  £69 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Hyde,  eaTl  of  Clarendon  ;  Villiers,  duke  of  Buckingham  ;*  Butler,  duke  of  Or- 
tnond ;  Cooper,  earl  of  Shaftesbury;  sir  William  Temple;  Algernon  Sidney; 
Wentworth  Dillon,  earl  of  Roscommon  ;  R.  Boyle,  earl  of  Orrery  ;  G.  Mackenzie, 
earl  of  Cromarty  ;  G.  Monk,  duke  of  Albemarle;  C.  Stanley,  earl  of  Derby  ;  Mon- 
tague, earl  of  Sandwich  ;  J.  Powlett,  marquis  of  Winchester ;  W.  Cavendish, 
<hike  of  Newcastle  ;  G.  Digby,  earl  of  Bristol;  Denzil,  k>rd  Hollis ;  Dudley,  lord 
North  ;  J.  Touchet,  earl  of  Castlehaven  and  baron  Audley ;  H,  Pierpont,  marquis 
of  Dorchester;  J.  Wilmot,  earl  of  Rochester ;  t  Anthony  Ashley  ;  Heneage  Finch, 
<^rl  of  Nottingham ; -Francis  North,  lord-keeper  Guildford;  J.  Robarts,  earl  of 
Radnor;  Arthur  Annesley,  earl  of  Anglesea;  marquis  of  Argyle,  H.  Finch,  earl 
of  Winchelsea  ;  A  Carey,  lord  Falkland ;  Anne,  countess  of  Dorset,  Pembroke, 
and  Montgomery  ;  Margaret,  dutchess  of  Newcastle. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 
JAMES  II. 


Born  1633.    Began  to  reign  February  6,  1685.    Abdicated  the  throne  January  22, 
1688.    Reigned  2£  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Noar  Bridgewater,  the  fatal  place 

Of  Monmouth's  downfall  and  disgrace, 

The  hopeless  duke,  half  starved,  half  drowned, 

In  covert  of  a  ditch  was  found.  -~Dibdin. 

1.  (A.  D.)  1685.)  The  duke  of  York,  who  succeeded  his 
brother  by  the  title  of  king  James  the  second,  had  been  bred 
a  papist  by  his  mother,  and  was  strongly  bigoted  to  his 
principles.  He  went  openly  to  mass  with  all  the  ensigns  of 
his  dignity,  and  even  sent  one  Caryl  as  his  agent  to  Rome, 
* i 

*  The  strange  character  of  this  highly-gifted  but  profligate  nobleman, 
is  thus  graphically  described  by  Dryden: 

*'  A  man  so  various  that  he  seemed  to  he 
Not  one,  but  all  mankind's,  epitome  : 
Stiff  in  opinion — always  in  the  wrong- 
Was  every  thing  by  starts,  hut  nothing  long; 
Who  in  the  course  of  one  revolving  moon 
Was  chemist,  fiddler ,  statesman,  and  buffoon." 

He  died  in  wretchedness.  Pope  thus  describes  the  miserable  end  of 
his  career : 

"  In  the  worst  inn's  worst  room,  with  mat  half  hung, 
The  George  and  Garter  dangling  from  that  bed 
Where  tawdry  yellow  strove  with  dirty  red, 
Great  Villiers  lies— alas  !  how  changed  from  him 
That  life  of  pleasure,  and  that  soul  of  whim ! 
There  victor  of  his  health,  of  fortune,  friends 
And  fame,  the  lord  of  useless  thousands  ends." 

t  Rochester  was  equally  celebrated  for  his  wit  and  profligacy.  His 
mock  epitaph  on  Charles  II.  contains  a  severe  but  just  character  of  that 
monarch : 

"  Here  lies  our  mutton-eating  king, 
Whose  word  no  man  relies  on ; 
He  never  said  a  foolish  thing, 
And  never  did  a  wise  one." 

2z2 


270  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

to  make  submission  to  the  pope,  and  to  pave  the  way  for  the* 
readmission  of  England  into  the  bosom  of  the  catholic 
church. 

2.  A  conspiracy,  set  on  foot  by  the  duke  of  Monmouth, 
was  the  first  disturbance  in  this  reign.  He  had,  since  his 
last  conspiracy,  been  pardoned,  but  was  ordered  to  depart 
the  kingdom,  and  had  retired  to  Holland.  Being  dismissed 
from  thence  by  the  prince  of  Orange,  upon  James's  acces- 
sion he  went  to  Brussels,  where  finding  himself  still  pursued 
by  the  king's  severity,  he  resolved  to  retaliate,  and  make  an 
attempt  upon  the  kingdom.  3.  He  had  ever  been  the  dar- 
ling of  the  people,  and  some  averred  that  Charles  had  mar- 
ried his  mother,  and  owned  Monmouth's  legitimacy  at  his 
death.  The  duke  of  Argyle  seconded  his  views  in  Scot- 
land, and  they  formed  the  scheme  of  a  double  insurrection  ; 
so  that,  while  Monmouth  should  attempt  to  make  a  rising  in 
the  west,  Argyle  was  also  to  try  his  endeavours  in  the 
north. 

4.  Argyle  was  the  first  who  landed  in  Scotland,  where  he 
published  his  manifestos,  put  himself  at  the  head  of  two 
thousand  five  hundred  men,  and  strove  to  influence  the  peo- 
ple in  his  cause.  But  a  formidable  body  of  the  king's  forces 
coming  against  him,  his  army  fell  away,  and  he  himself, 
after  being  wounded  in  attempting  to  escape,  was  taken  pri- 
soner by  a  peasant,  who  found  him  standing  up  to  his  neck 
in  a  pool  of  water.  He  was%from  thence  carried  to  Edin- 
burgh, where,  after  enduring  many  indignities  with  a  gallant 
spirit,  he  was  publicly  executed. 

5.  Meanwhile  Monmouth  was  by  this  time  landed  in 
Dorsetshire,  with  scarcely  a  hundred  followers.  However, 
his  name  was  so  popular,  and  so  great  was  the  hatred  of  the 
people  both  for  the  person  and  religion  of  James,  that  in 
four  days  he  had  assembled  a  body  of  above  two  thousand 
men. 

6.  Being  advanced  to  Taunton,  his  numbers  had  increased 
to  six  thousand  men ;  and  he  was  obliged  every  day,  for 
want  of  arms,  to  dismiss  numbers  who  crowded  to  his  stand- 
ard. He  entered  Bridgewater,  Wells,  and  Frome,  and  was 
proclaimed  in  all  those  places  ;  but  he  lost  the  hour  of  action 
in  receiving  and  claiming  these  empty  honours. 

7.  The  king  was  not  a  little  alarmed  at  his  invasion  ;  but 
still  more  so  at  the  success  of  an  undertaking  that  at  first  ap- 
peared desperate.  Six  regiments  of  British  troops  were 
recalled  from  Holland,  and  a  body  of  regulars,  to  the  nurr>- 


james  a.  271 

ber  of  three  thousand  men,  were  sent,  under  the  command  of 
the  earls  of  Feversham  and  Churchill,  to  check  the  progress 
of  the  rebels.  8.  They  took  post  at  Sedgemore,  a  village 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bridgewater,  and  were  joined  by 
the  militia  of  the  county  in  considerable  numbers.  It  was 
there  that  Monmouth  resolved,  by  a  desperate  effort,  to  lose 
his  life  or  gain  the  kingdom.  The  negligent  disposition 
made  by  Feversham  invited  him  to  the  attack  ;  and  his  faith- 
ful followers  showed  what  courage  and  principle  could  do 
against  discipline  and  numbers.  9.  They  drove  the  royal 
infantry  from  their  ground,  and  were  upon  the  point  of  gain- 
ing the  victory,  when  the  misconduct  of  Monmouth,  and  the 
cowardice  of  lord  Grey,  who  commanded  the  horse,  brought 
all  to  ruin.  This  nobleman  fled  at  the  first  onset  ;  and  the 
rebels  being  charged  in  flank  by  the  victorious  army,  gave 
way,  after  three  hours'  contest.  10.  About  three  hundred 
were  killed  in  the  engagement,  and  a  thousand  in  the  pur- 
suit ;  and  thus  ended  an  enterprise  rashly  begun,  and  more 
feebly  conducted. 

Monmouth  fled  from  the  field  of  battle  about  twenty  miles, 
till  his  horse  sunk  under  him.  He  then  alighted,  and  chang- 
ing his  clothes  with  a  shepherd,  fled  on  foot,  attended  by  a 
German  count,  who  had  accompanied  him  from  Holland. 
11.  Being  quite  exhausted  with  hunger  and  fatigue,  they 
both  lay  down  in  a  field,  and  covered  themselves  with  fern. 
The  shepherd  being  found  in  Monmouth's  clothes  by  the 
pursuers,  increased  the  diligence  of  the  search ;  and  by  the 
means  of  blood-hounds  he  was  detected  in  this  miserable 
situation,  with  raw  peas  in  his  pocket,  which  he  had  gathered 
in  the  fields  to  sustain  life.  12.  He  wrote  the  most  sub- 
missive letters  to  the  king;  and  that  monarch,  willing  to 
feast  his  eyes  with  the  miseries  of  a  fallen  enemy,  gave  him 
an  audience.  At  this  interview  the  duke  fell  upon  his  knees, 
and  begged  his  life  in  the  most  abject  terms.  He  even 
signed  a  paper,  offered  him  by  the  king,  declaring  his  own 
illegitimacy  ;  and  then  the  stern  tyrant  assured  him  that  his 
crime  was  of  such  a  nature  as  could  not  be  pardoned.  13. 
The  duke,  perceiving  that  he  had  nothing  to  hope  from  the 
clemency  of  his  uncle,  recollected  his  spirits,  rose  up,  and 
retired  with  an  air  of  disdain.  He  was  followed  to  the  scaf- 
fold with  great  compassion  from  the  populace.  He  warned 
the  executioner  not  to  fall  into  the  same  error  which  he  had 
committed  in  beheading  Russel,  where  it  had  been  necessary 
to  redouble  the  blow.     14.  But  this  only  increased  the  se- 


272         ,  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

verity  of  the  punishment ;  the  man  was  seized  with  an.uni* 
versal  trepidation,  and  he  struck  a  feeble  blow,  upon  which 
the  duke  raised  his  head  from  the  block,  as  if  to  reproach 
him  ;  he  gently  laid  down  his  head  a  second  time,  and  the 
executioner  struck  him  again  and  again  to  no  purpose.  He 
at  last  threw  the  axe  down  ;  but  the  sheriff  compelled  him 
to  resume  the  attempt,  and  at  two  more  blows  the  head  was 
severed  from  the  body.  15.  Such  was  the  end  of  James, 
duke  of  Monmouth,  the  darling  of  the  English  people.  He 
was  brave,  sincere,  and  good-natured,  open  to  flattery,  and 
by  that  seduced  into  an  enterprise  which  exceeded  his  capa- 
city. 

16.  But  it  were  well  for  the  insurgents,  and  fortunate  for 
the  king,  if  the  blood  that  was  now  shed  had  been  thought 
a  sufficient  expiation  for  the  late  offence.  The  victorious 
army  behaved  with  the  most  savage  cruelty  to  the  prisoners 
taken  after  the  battle.  Feversham,  immediately  after  the 
victory,  hanged  up  above  twenty  prisoners. 

17.  The  military  severities  of  the  commanders  were  still 
inferior  to  the  legal  slaughters  committed  by  judge  Jefferies, 
who  was  sent  down  to  try  the  delinquents.  The  natural 
brutality  of  this  man's  temper  was  inflamed  by  continual  in- 
toxication. He  told  the  prisoners,  that  if  they  would  save 
him  the  trouble  of  trying  them,  they  might  expect  some  fa- 
vour, otherwise  he  would  execute  the  law  upon  them  with 
the  utmost  severity.  18.  Many  poor  wretches  were  thus 
allured  into  a  confession,  and  found  that  it  only  hastened 
their  destruction.  No  less  than  eighty  were  executed  at 
Dorchester ;  and,  on  the  whole,  at  Exeter,  Taunton,  and 
Wells,  two  hundred  and  fifty-one  are  computed  to  have 
fallen  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1 .  In  what  manner  did  James  act  on  succeeding  to  the  throne  ? 

2,  3.  What  was  the  first  disturbance  in  this  reign  ?  and  who  were  the  prin- 

cipals concerned  in  it  ? 
4.  What  success  attended  Argyle's  attempt  ? 
5 — 10.  Relate  the  particulars  of  Monmouth's  invasion. 

11.  In  what  situation  was  he  found  ? 

12.  What  was  his  conduct  after  he  was  taken  ? 
13, 14.  Relate  what  happened  at  his  execution. 

15.  What  was  his  character  ? 

16.  How  were  the  prisoners  treated  ? 

17.  What  was  the  conduct  of  judge  Jefferies  ? 

18.  How  many  rebels  are  said  to  have  been  executed  ? 


JAMES    II.  273 


SECTION  II. 

With  persecution  arni'ri,  the  sacred  code 

Of  law  he  dashes  thoughtless  to  the  ground.  —  Valpy. 

1.  (A.D.  1686.)  In  ecclesiastical  matters,  James  proceed- 
ed with  still  greater  injustice.  Among  those  who  distin- 
guished themselves  against  popery  was  one  Dr.  Sharpe,  a 
clergyman  of  London,  who  declaimed  with  just  severity 
against  those  who  changed  their  religion  by  such  arguments 
as  the  popish  missionaries  were  able  to  produce.  2.  This 
being  supposed  to  reflect  upon  the  king,  gave  great  offence 
at  court ;  and  positive  orders  were  given  to  the  bishop  of 
London  to  suspend  Sharpe,  till  his  majesty's  pleasure  should 
be  further  known.  The  bishop  refused  to  comply  ;  and  the 
king  resolved  to  punish  the  bishop  himself  for  disobe- 
dience. 

3.  To  effect  his  design,  an  ecclesiastical  commission  was 
issued  out,  by  which  seven  commissioners  were  invested 
with  a  full  and  unlimited  authority  over  the  whole  church 
of  England.  Before  this  tribunal  the  bishop  was  summoned, 
and  not  only  he,  but  Sharpe,  the  preacher,  suspended. 

4.  The  next  step  was  to  allow  the  liberty  of  conscience 
to  all  sectaries  ;  and  he  was  taught  to  believe,  that  the  truth 
of  the  catholic  religion  would  then,  upon  a  fair  trial,  gain 
the  victory.  He,  therefore,  issued  a  declaration  of  general 
indulgence,  and  asserted  that  non-conformity  to  the  esta- 
blished religion  was  no  longer  penal. 

5.  To  complete  his  work,  he  publicly  sent  the  earl  of 
Castlemain  ambassador  extraordinary  to  Rome,  in  order  to 
express  his  obedience  to  the  pope,  and  to  reconcile  his  king- 
dom to  the  catholic  communion.  Never  was  there  so  much 
contempt  thrown  upon  an  embassy  that  was  so  boldly  un- 
dertaken. The  court  of  Rome  expected  but  little  success 
from  measures  so  blindly  conducted.  They  were  sensible 
that  the  king  was  openly  striking  at  those  laws  and  opinions, 
which  it  was  his  business  to  undermine  in  silence  and  se- 
curity. 

6.  The  Jesuits  soon  after  were  permitted  to  erect  colleges 
in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  ;  they  exercised  the  catho- 
lic worship  ip  the  most  public  manner ;  and  four  catholic 
bishops,  consecrated  in  the  king's  chapel,  were  sent  through 
the  kingdom  to  exercise  their  episcopal  functions,  under  the 
title  of  apostolic  vicars. 


274  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

7.  Father  Francis,  a  Benedictine  monk,  was  recommend- 
ed by  the  king  to  the  university  of  Cambridge,  for  a  degree 
of  master  of  arts.  But  his  religion  was  a  stumbling-block 
which  the  university  could  not  get  over;  and  they  pre- 
sented a  petition,  beseeching  the  king  to  recall  his  mandate. 
8.  Their  petition  was  disregarded,  and  their  deputies  denied 
a  hearing  :  the  vice-chancellor  himself  was  summoned  to 
appear  before  the  high  commission  court,  and  deprived  of 
his  office ;  yet  the  university  persisted,  and  father  Francis 
was  refused. 

9.  The  place  of  president  of  Magdalen  college,  one  of  the 
richest  foundations  in  Europe,  being  vacant,  the  king  sent  a 
mandate  in  favour  of  one  Farmer,  a  new  convert  to  popery, 
and  a  man  of  bad  character  in  other  respects.  The  fellows 
of  the  college  made  very  submissive  applications  to  the  king 
for  recalling  his  mandate  ;  they  refused  admitting  the  candi- 
date ;  and  James,  finding  them  resolute  in  the  defence  of 
their  privileges,  ejected  them  all  except  two. 

10.  A  second  declaration  for  liberty  of  conscience  was 
published  about  the  same  time  with  the  former  ;  but  with 
this  peculiar  injunction,  that  all  divines  should  read  it  after 
service  in  their  churches.  (A.  D.  1688.)  The  clergy  were 
known  universally  to  disapprove  of  these  measures,  and  they 
were  now  resolved  to  disobey  an  order  dictated  by  the  most 
bigoted  motives.  They  were  determined  to  trust  their  cause 
to  the  favour  of  the  people,  and  that  universal  jealousy  which 
prevailed  against  the  encroachment  of  the  crown.  11.  The 
first  champions  of  this  service  of  danger  were  Loyde,  bishop 
of  St.  Asaph ;  Ken,  of  Bath  and  Wells ;  Turner,  of  Ely ; 
Lake,  of  Chichester;  White,  of  Peterborough;  and  Tre- 
lawney,  of  Bristol.  These,  together  with  Sancroft,  the  pri- 
mate, concerted  the  address,  in  the  form  of  a  petition  to  the 
king,  which,  with  the  warmest  expressions  of  zeal  and  sub- 
mission, remonstrated  that  they  could  not  read  his  declaration 
consistent  with  their  consciences,  or  the  respect  they  owed 
the  protestant  religion. 

12.  The  king  hi  a  fury  summoned  the  bishops  before  the 
council,  and  there  questioned  them  whether  they  would  ac- 
knowledge their  petition.  They  for  some  time  declined 
giving  an  answer ;  but  being  urged  by  the  chancellor,  they 
at  last  owned  it.  On  their  refusal  to  give  bail,  an  order  was 
immediately  drawn  for  their  commitment  to  the  Tower,  and 
the  crown  lawyers  received  directions  to  prosecute  them  for 
a  seditious  libel. 


JAMES    II.  275 

Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  In  what  way  did  Dr.  Sharpe  give  offence  to  the  king  ? 

2.  What  was  the  conduct  of  James  on  that  occasion  ? 

3.  By  what  means  did  he  effect  his  design  ? 

4.  What  was  his  next  step  ? 

5.  Whom  did  he  send  ambassador  extraordinary  to  Rome  ?  and  how  wai 

the  embassy  received  ? 

6.  Relate  the  further  proceedings  of  James. 
9.  What  took  place  at  Magdalen  college  ? 

10.  What  were  the  consequences  of  another  declaration  ? 

11.  Who  were  the  first  that  disobeyed  the  king's  mandate  ? 

12.  In  what  manner  did  James  act  on  this  occasion  ? 


SECTION  III. 

Forsaken  thus,  he  other  thoughts  revolves 
To  quit  the  realm,  and  many  a  scheme  resolves : 
But  let  him  go,  nor  heed,  though  thus  you  make 
The  gentle  duke  his  lonely  journey  take.  —  Hoole. 

1.  (A. D.  1688.)  The  twenty-ninth  day  of  June  was  fixea 
for  their  trial ;  and  their  return  was  more  splendidly  attended 
than  their  imprisonment.  The  cause  was  looked  upon  as  in- 
volving the  fate  of  the  nation  ;  and  future  freedom,  or  future 
slavery,  awaited  the  decision.  The  dispute  was  learnedly 
managed  by  the  lawyers  on  both  sides.  2.  Holloway  and 
Powel,  two  of  the  judges,  declared  themselves  in  favour  of 
the  bishops.  The  jury  withdrew  into  a  chamber,  where 
they  passed  the  whole  night;  but  next  morning  they  returned 
into  court,  and  pronounced  the  bishops  not  guilty.  3.  West- 
minister-hall instantly  rang  with  loud  acclamations,  which 
were  communicated  to  the  whole  extent  of  the  city.  They 
even  reached  the  camp  at  Hounslow,  where  the  king  was  at 
dinner,  in  lord  Feversham's  tent.  His  majesty,  demanded 
the  cause  of  these  rejoicings,  and  being  informed  that  it 
was  nothing  but  the  soldiers  shouting  at  the  delivery  of  the 
bishops,  "  Call  you  that  nothing  ?"  cried  he  ;  "but  so  much 
the  worse  for  them  !" 

4.  It  was  in  this  posture  of  affairs  that  all  people  turned 
their  eyes  upon  William,  prince  of  Orange,  who  had  married 
Mary,  the  eldest  daughter  of  king  James. 

William  was  a  prince  who  had,  from  his  earliest  entrance 
into  business,  been  immersed  in  dangers,  calamities,  and 
politics.  The  ambition  of  France,  and  the  jealousies  of  Hol- 
land, had  served  to  sharpen  his  talents,  and  to  give  him  a 
propensity  for  intrigue. 

5.  This  politic  prince  now  plainly  saw  that  James  had 
incurred  the  most  violent  hatred  of  his  subjects.     (A.  D 


276 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


1688.)  He  was  minutely  informed  of  their  discontents  ;  and 
by  seeming  to  discourage,  still  farther  increased  them,  hoping 
to  gain  the  kingdom  for  himself  in  the  sequel. 

6.  The  time  when  the  prince  entered  upon  this  enterprise 
was  just  when  the  people  were  in  a  flame  about  the  recent 
insult  offered  to  their  bishops.  He  had  before  this  made 
considerable  augmentations  to  the  Dutch  fleet,  and  the  ships 
were  then  lying  ready  in  the  harbour.  Some  additional 
troops  were  also  levied,  and  sums  of  money  raised  for  other 
purposes  were  converted  to  the  advancement  of  this  expe- 
dition. 

7.  So  well  concerted  were  his  measures,  that,  in  three 
days,  above  four  hundred  transports  were  hired  ;  the  army 
fell  down  the  rivers  and  canals  from  Nimeguen,  with  all  ne 
cessary  stores ;  and  the  prince  set  sail  from  Helvoetsluys, 
with  a  fleet  of  nearly  five  hundred  vessels,  and  an  army  of 
above  fourteen  thousand  men. 

It  was  given  out  that  this  invasion  was  intended  for  the 
coast  of  France  ;  and  many  of  the  English,  who  saw  the  fleet 
pass  along  their  coasts,  little  expected  to  see  it  land  on  their 
own  shores.  Thus,  after  a  voyage  of  two  days,  the  prince 
landed  his  army  at  the  village  of  Broxholme,  in  Torbay,  on 
the  fifth  of  November,  which  was  the  anniversary  of  the 
gunpowder  treason. 

8.  But  though  the  invitation  from  the  English  was  very 
general,  the  prince  had  for  some  time  the  mortification  to 
find  himself  joined  by  very  few.  He  marched  first  to  Exe- 
ter, where  the  country  people  had  been  so  much  terrified  at 
the  executions  which  had  ensued  on  Monmouth's  rebellion, 
that  they  continued  to  observe  a  strict  neutrality.  9.  He 
remained  for  ten  days  in  expectation  of  being  joined  by  the 
malecontents,  and  at  last  began  to  despair  of  success.  But, 
just  when  he  began  to  deliberate  about  re-embarking  his 
forces,  he  was  joined  by  several  persons  of  consequence,  and 
the  whole  country  soon  after  came  flocking  to  his  standard. 
The  nobility,  clergy,  officers,  and  even  the  king's  own  ser- 
vants and  creatures,  were  unanimous  in  deserting  James. 
10.  Lord  Churchill  had  been  raised  from  the  rank  of  a  page, 
md  had  been  invested  with  a  high  command  in  the  army ; 
had  been  created  a  peer,  and  owed  his  whole  fortune  to  the 
king's  bounty  ;  even  he  deserted  among  the  rest,  and  carried 
with  him  the  duke  of  Grafton,  the  natural  son  of  the  late 
king,  colonel  Berkeley,  and  some  others. 

11.  The   prince  of  Denmark,  and  Anne,  his  favourite 


JAMES   II.  277 

daughter,  perceiving  the  desperation  of  his  circumstances, 
resolved  to  leave  him,  and  take  part  with  the  prevailing  side. 
When  he  was  told  that  the  prince  and  princess  had  followed 
the  rest  of  his  favourites,  he  was  stung  with  most  bitter 
anguish.  "  God  help  me,"  cried  he,  in  the  extremity  of  his 
agony,  "  my  own  children  have  forsaken  me!" 

12.  The  king,  alarmed  every  day  more  and  more  with 
the  prospect  of  a  general  disaffection,  was  resolved  to  hearken 
to  those  who  advised  his  quitting  the  kingdom.  To  prepare 
for  this,  he  first  sent  away  the  queen,  who  arrived  safely  at 
Calais,  under  the  conduct  of  count  Lauzun,  an  old  favoifrite 
of  the  French  king.  He  himself  soon  after  disappeared  in 
the  night-time,  attended  only  by  sir  Edward  Hale,  a  new 
convert :  but  was  discovered  and  brought  back  by  the  mob. 

But  shortly  after,  being  confined  at  Rochester,  and  ob- 
serving that  he  was  entirely  neglected  by  his  own  subjects, 
he  resolved  to  seek  safety  from  the  king  of  France,  the  only 
friend  he  had  still  remaining.  14.  He  accordingly  fled  to 
the  sea-side,  attended  by  his  natural  son,  the  duke  of  Ber- 
wick, where  he  embarked  for  the  continent,  and  arrived  in 
safety  at  Ambleteuse  in  Picardy,  from  whence  he  hastened 
to  the  court  of  France,  where  he  still  enjoyed  the  empty 
title  of  a  king,  and  the  appellation  of  a  saint,  which  flat- 
tered him  more. 

15.  The  king  having  thus  abdicated  the  throne,  the  next 
consideration  was  the  appointing  a  successor.  (A.D.  1688.) 
Some  declared  for  a  regent ;  others,  that  the  princess  of 
Orange  should  be  invested  with  regal  power,  and  the  young 
prince  considered  as  supposititious.  After  a  long  debate  in 
both  houses,  a  new  sovereign  was  preferred  to  a  regent,  by 
a  majority  of  two  voices.  It  was  agreed  that  the  prince 
and  princess  of  Orange  should  reign  jointly  as  king  and 
queen  of  England,  while  the  administration  of  government 
should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  prince  only. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1    -3.  Relate  the  circumstances  which  attended  the  bishops'  trial. 

4.  To  whom  did  the  people  look  for  deliverance  ? 

h  What  was  the  situation  of  the  people  when  William  entered  upon  this 

enterprise  ? 
7   What  measures  did  William  concert  to  effect  the  invasion  of  England  ? 

Where  did  he  land  ? 
(0.  By  whom  was  the  king  deserted  ? 

il.  What  exclamation  did  the  king  make  when  he  was  told  that  the  princo 
and  princess  had  forsaken  him  ? 

2  A 


278  HISTORY   OP   ENGLAND. 

12.  What  resolution  did  the  king  adopt  ? 

14.  To  what  court  did  James  repair  ? 

15.  What  followed  the  king's  abdication  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Pope. 

A.D. 

Innocent  XI 1676 

Emperor  of  Germany. 


Leopold 

Emperc 
Mahomet  IV 1649 


Emperors  of  the  Turks. 


A.D. 

SolymanI 1687 

King  of  France. 
Louis  XIV 1643 

King  of  Spain. 
Charles  II 1665 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 


King  of  Portugal. 

A.D. 

Pedro  II 1683 

King  of  Denmark. 
Christian  V 1678 

King  of  Sweden. 
Charles  XI 1660 


The  duke  of  Monmouth.  Spencer,  earl  of  Sunderland.  Prince  James, 
otherwise  called  the  Pretender.  Judge  Jefferies.  Colonel  Kirk.  G.  Savile, 
marquis  of  Halifax.  George,  earl  of  Berkeley.  Thomas  Osborne,  duke  of 
Leeds.  H.  Booth,  lord  Delamore,  and  earl  of  Warrington.  C.  Sackville, 
earl  Dorset.  H.  Cavendish,  duke  of  Devonshire.  J.  Thomson,  lord  Ha- 
versham.  Colin  Lindsey,  earl  of  Balcarras.  James  Dalrymple,  viscount 
Stair.    R.  Graham,  viscount  Preston.    Roger  Palmer,  earl  of  Castlemain. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
WILLLIAM  III. 

Born  1650.    Died  March  8,  1702.    Landed  in  England,  November  5,  168a    Began 
to  reign  January  22,  1689.    Reigned  13  years. 


SECTION  I. 


By  turns  they  tell, 


And  listen,  each  with  emulous  glory  fired, 

How  William  conquer'd,  and  how  France  retired, 

How  Providence  o'er  William's  temples  held, 

On  Boyne's  propitious  banks,  the  heav'nly  shield. —  Prior. 

1.  (A.D.  1687.)  William  was  no  sooner  elected  to  the 
throne,  than  he  began  to  experience  the  difficulty  of  govern- 
ing a  people,  who  were  more  ready  to  examine  the  com 
mands  of  their  superiors  than  to  obey  them. 

2.  His  reign  commenced  with  an  attempt  similar  to  that 
which  had  been  the  principal  cause  of  all  the  disturbances 
in  the  preceding  reign,  and  which  had  excluded  the  monarch 
from  the  throne.  William  was  a  Calvinist,  and  consequently 
averse  to  persecution ;  he  therefore  began  by  attempting 
those  laws  which  enjoined  uniformity  of  worship  ;  and, 
though  he  could  not  entirely  succeed  in  his  design,  a  tolera- 
tion was  granted  to  such  dissenters  as  should  take  the  oaths 
of  allegiance,  and  hold  no  private  conventicle. 

3.  In  the  mean  time,  James,  whose  authoritv  was  still 


WILLIAM    III.  XJ79 

acknowledged  in  Ireland,  embarked  at  Brest  for  that  kingdom, 
and  on  May  22d  arrived  at  Kinsale.  He  soon  after  made 
his  public  entry  into  Dublin,  amidst  the  acclamations  of  the 
inhabitants.  He  found  the  appearance  of  things  in  that 
country  equal  to  his  most  sanguine  expectations.  Tyrconnel, 
the  lord-lieutenant,  was  devoted  to  his  interests ;  his  old 
army  was  steady,  and  a  new  one  raised,  amounting  together 
to  nearly  forty  thousand  men. 

4.  As  soon  as  the  season  would  permit,  he  went  to  lay 
siege  to  Londonderry,  a  town  of  small  importance  in  itself, 
but  rendered  famous  by  the  stand  it  made  on  this  occasion. 

5.  The  besieged  endured  the  most  poignant  sufferings 
from  fatigue  and  famine,  until  at  last  relieved  by  a  store- 
ship,  that  happily  broke  the  boom  laid  across  the  river  to 
prevent  a  supply.  The  joy  of  the  inhabitants  at  this  unex- 
pected relief  was  only  equalled  by  the  rage  and  disappoint- 
ment of  the  besiegers.  The  army  of  James  was  so  dispirited 
by  the  success  of  this  enterprise,  that  they  abandoned  the 
siege  in  the  night;  and  retired  with  precipitation,  after 
having  lost  about  nine  thousand  men  before  the  place. 

6.  It  was  upon  the  opposite  sides  of  the  river  Boyne  that 
both  armies  came  in  sight  of  each  other,  inflamed  with  all 
the  animosities  arising  from  a  difference  of  religion,  hatred, 
and  revenge.  (A.D.  1690.)  The  river  Boyne  at  this  place 
was  not  so  deep  but  that  men  might  wade  over  on  foot ; 
however,  the  banks  were  rugged,  and  rendered  dangerous 
by  old  houses  and  ditches,  which  served  to  defend  the  latent 
enemy.  7.  William,  who  now  headed  the  protestant  army, 
had  no  sooner  arrived,  but  he  rode  along  the  side  of  the 
river  in  sight  of  both  armies,  to  make  proper  observations 
upon  the  plan  of  battle  ;  but  in  the  mean  time,  being  per- 
ceived by  the  enemy,  a  cannon  was  privately  brought  out, 
and  planted  against  him  where  he  was  sitting.  The  shot 
killed  several  of  his  followers,  and  he  himself  was  wounded 
in  the  shoulder. 

8.  Early  the  next  morning,  at  six  o'clock,  king  William 
gave  orders  to  force  a  passage  over  the  river.  This  the 
army  undertook  in  three  different  places  ;  and,  after  a  furious 
cannonading,  the  battle  began  with  unusual  vigour.  The 
Irish  troops,  though  reckoned  the  best  in  Europe  abroad, 
have  always  fought  indifferently  at  home.  9.  After  an 
obstinate  resistance,  they  fled  with  precipitation,  leaving  the 
French  and  Swiss  regiments,  wTho  came  to  their  assistance, 
to  make  the  best  retreat  they  could      William  led  on  his 


280 


HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 


Battle  of  Aughrim  and  death  of  General  St  Ruth. 

horse  in  person  ;  and  contributed  by  his  activity  and  vigi 
lance  to  secure  the  victory.  James  was  not  in  the  battle* 
but  stood  aloof  during  the  action,  on  the  hill  of  Dunmore, 
surrounded  with  some  squadrons  of  horse  ;  and  at  intervals 
was  heard  to  exclaim,  when  he  saw  his  own  troops  repuls- 
ing those  of  the  enemy,  "  O  spare  my  English  subjects  !" 

10.  The  Irish  lost  about  fifteen  hundred  men,  and  the 
protestants  about  one-third  of  that  number.  The  victory 
was  splendid,  and  almost  decisive  ;  but  the  death  of  the 
duke  of  Schomberg,  who  was  shot  as  he  was  crossing  the 
water,  seemed  to  outweigh  the  whole  loss  sustained  by  the 
enemy. 

11.  The  last  battle  fought  in  favour  of  James  was  at 
Aughrim.  (A.D.  1691.)  The  enemy  fought  with  surpris- 
ing fury,  and  the  horse  were  several  times  repulsed ;  but 
the  English  wading  through  the  middle  of  a  bog  up  to  the 
waist  in  mud,  and  rallying  with  some  difficulty  on  the  firm 
ground  on  the  other  side,  renewed  the  combat  with  great 
fury.  12.  St.  Ruth,  the  Irish  general,  being  killed,  his 
fate  so  discouraged  his  troops,  that  they  gave  way  on  all 
sides,  and  retreated  to  Limerick,  where  they  resolved  to 
make  a  final  stand,  after  having  lost  above  five  thousand  of 
the  flower  of  their  army.  13.  Limerick,  the  last  retreat 
of  the  Irish  forces,  made  a  brave  defence  :  but  soon  seeing 
the  enemy  advanced  within  ten  paces  of  the  bridge-foot, 
and  perceiving  themselves  surrounded  on  all  sides,  they 
determined  to  capitulate  ;  a  negotiation  was  immediately 
begun,  and  hostilities  ceased  on  both  sides.     14.  The  Ro~ 


WILLIAM    III.  281 

man  catholics,  by  this  capitulation,  were  restored  to  the 
enjoyment  of  those  liberties  in  the  exercise  of  their  religion, 
which  they  had  possessed  in  the  reign  of  king  Charles  the 
Second.  All  persons  were  indulged  with  free  leave  to  re- 
move with  their  families  and  effects  to  any  other  country, 
except  England  *nd  Scotland.  In  consequence  of  this, 
above  fourteen  thousand  of  those  who  had  fought  for  king 
James  went  over  into  France,  having  transports  provided  by 
government  for  conveying  them  thither. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1,  2.  What  were  the  first  acts  of  William  ? 

3.  In  what  manner  was  James  received  in  Ireland  ? 

4.  What  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  that  country  ? 

5.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  siege  of  Londonderry. 

6.  Where  did  the  armies  first  meet  ? 

7.  By  what  means  was  William  wounded  ? 

8.  9.  What  was  the  issue  of  this  battle  ? 

Describe  the  conduct  of  the  rival  kings  during  tins  engagement. 

10.  What  loss  did  each  side  sustain  ? 

11.  Where  was  the  next  battle  fought? 

12.  How  many  of  the  Irish  fell  in  this  engagement  ? 

13.  What  was  the  last  place  of  their  retreat  ? 

14.  What  Avere  the  articles  of  their  capitulation  ? 


SECTION  II. 


Yet  Fame  shall  stay  and  bend  to  William's  praise, 

Of  him  her  thousand  ears  shall  hear  triumphant  lays  ; 

Of  him  her  tongue  shall  talk,  on  him  her  eyes  shall  gaze. — Congreve. 

1.  (A.D.  1692.)  James  was  now  reduced  to  the  lowest 
state  of  despondence  :  his  designs  upon  England  were  quite 
frustrated,  so  that  nothing  was  left  his  friends  but  the  hopes 
of  assassinating  the  monarch  on  the  throne.  These  base 
attempts,  as  barbarous  as  they  were  useless,  were  not  en- 
tirely disagreeable  to  the  temper  of  James.  2.  It  is  said  he 
encouraged  and  proposed  them  ;  but  they  all  proved  unser- 
viceable to  his  cause,  and  only  ended  in  the  destruction  of 
the  undertakers.  From  that  time  till  he  died,  which  was 
about  seven  years,  he  continued  to  reside  at  St.  Germains, 
a  pensioner  on  the  bounty  of  Louis,  and  assisted  by  occa- 
sional liberalities  from  his  daughter  and  friends  in  England. 
He  died  on  the  sixteenth  day  of  September,  in  the  year 
1700,  after  having  laboured  under  a  tedious  sickness  ;  and 
many  miracles,  as  the  people  thought,  were  wrought  at  his 
tomb.  3.  Indeed,  the  latter  part  of  his  life  was  calculated 
to  inspire  the  superstitious  with  reverence  for  his  piety. 
*T«*  subjected  himself  to  acts  of  uncommon  penance  and 

2a2 


282  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

mortification.  He  frequently  visited  the  poor  monks  of  La 
Trappe,  who  were  edified  by  his  humble  and  pious  deport- 
ment. 4.  His  pride  and  arbitrary  temper  seemed  to  have 
vanished  with  his  greatness  ;  he  became  affable,  kind,  and 
easy  to  all  his  dependants  ;  and  at  his  last  illness  conjured 
his  son  to  prefer  religion  to  every  worldly  advantage, — a 
counsel  which  that  prince  strictly  obeyed.  He  died  with 
great  marks  of  devotion,  and  was  interred,  at  his  own  request, 
in  the  church  of  the  English  benedictines  at  Paris,  without 
any  funeral  solemnity. 

5.  William,  upon  accepting  of  the  crown,  was  resolved 
to  preserve,  as  much  as  he  was  able,  that  share  of  preroga- 
tive which  still  was  left  him.  But  at  length  he  became 
fatigued  with  opposing  the  laws  which  parliament  every  day 
were  laying  round  his  authority,  and.  gave  up  the  contest. 
6.  He  admitted  every  restraint  upon  the  prerogative  in  Eng- 
land, upon  condition  of  being  properly  supplied  with  the 
means  of  humbling  the  power  of  France.  War,  and  the 
balance  of  power  in  Europe,  were  all  he  knew,  or  indeed 
desired  to  understand.  Provided  the  parliament  furnished 
him  with  supplies  for  these  purposes,  he  permitted  them  to 
rule  the  internal  polity  at  their  pleasure.  7.  For  the  prose- 
cution of  the  war  with  France,  the  sums  of  money  granted 
to  him  were  incredible.  The  nation,  not  content  with  fur- 
nishing him  with  such  sums  of  money  as  they  were  capable 
of  raising  by  the  taxes  of  the  year,  mortgaged  these  taxes, 
and  involved  themselves  in  debts  which  they  have  never 
since  been  able  to  discharge.  8.  For  all  that  profusion  of 
wealth  granted  to  maintain  the  imaginary  balance  of  Europe, 
England  received  in  return  the  empty  reward  of  military 
glory  in  Flanders,  and  the  consciousness  of  having  given 
their  allies,  particularly  the  Dutch,  frequent  opportunities 
of  being  ungrateful. 

The  war  with  France  continued  during  the  greatest  part  of 
this  king's  reign  ;  but  at  length  the  treaty  of  Rys  wick,  A.D. 
1697,  put  an  end  to  those  contentions,  in  which  England  had 
engaged  without  policy  and  came  off  without  advantage. 

9.  In  the  general  pacification  her  interests  seemed  entirely 
deserted  ;  and  for  all  the  treasures  she  had  sent  to  the  con- 
tinent, and  all  the  blood  which  she  had  shed  there,  the 
only  equivalent  she  received  was  an  acknowledgment  of 
kinjT  William's  title  from  the  king  of  France. 

10.  William  was  naturally  of  a  very  feeble  constitution  : 
and  it  was  by  this  time  almost  exhausted  by  a  series  of  con- 


WILLIAM    HI. 


283 


tinual  disquietude  and  action.  He  had  endeavoured  to  re 
pair  his  constitution,  or  at  least  to  conceal  its  decays,  by 
exercise  and  riding.  On  the  twenty-first  day  of  February,  in 
riding  to  Hampton-court  from  Kensington,  his  horse  fell 
under  him,  and  he  was  thrown  with  such  violence,  that  his 
collar-bone  was  fractured.  His  attendants  conveyed  him  to 
the  palace  at  Hampton-court,  where  the  fracture  was  re- 
duced, and  in  the  evening  he  returned  to  Kensington  in  his 
coach.  11.  The  jolting  of  the  carriage  disunited  the  frac- 
ture once  more,  and  the  bones  were  again  replaced,  under 
Bidioo,  his  physician.  This  in  a  robust  constitution  would 
have  been  a  trifling  misfortune  ;  but  in  him  it  was  fatal. 
For  some  time  he  appeared  in  a  fair  way  of  recovery  ;  but, 
falling  asleep  on  his  couch,  he  was  seized  with  a  shivering, 
which  terminated  in  a  fever  and  diarrhoea,  which  soon  be- 
came dangerous  and  desperate.  11.  Perceiving  his  end 
approaching,  the  objects  of  his  former  care  still  lay  next  his 
heart ;  and  the  fate  of  Europe  seemed  to  remove  the  sensa- 
tions he  might  be  supposed  to  feel  for  his  own.  The  earl 
of  Albemarle  arriving  from  Holland,  he  conferred  with  him 
in  private  on  the  posture  of  affairs  abroad.  Two  days  after, 
having  received  the  sacrament  from  archbishop  Tenison,  he 
expired  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  his  age,  after  having 
reigned  thirteen  years. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  To  what  situation  was  James  reduced  ?  and  what  were  the  designs  of  hia 

friends  ? 

2.  When  and  where  did  James  die  ? 

3.  How  did  the  exiled  monarch  spend  the  latter  part  of  his  life  ? 

4.  What  counsel  did  he  give  to  his  son  in  his  last  illness  ? 

5.  What  was  William's  resolution  on  accepting  the  crown  ? 

6.  Did  his  actions  correspond  with  that  resolution  ? 

7.  In  what  manner  did  William  act? 

8.  9.  What  consequences  resulted  from  the  war  with  France  ? 

10,11.  What  accident  happened  to  William?  and  what  were  the  conse- 


quences 


12.  What  object  lay  nearest  his  heart? 

How  long  did  William  reign,  and  what  was  his  age  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 
Popes.  A.D. 

Alexander  VIII....   1689 
fnnocent  XII 1691 


Clement  XI 1700 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Leopold 1638 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 
Soliman  III 1687 


A.D. 

Achmetll 1691 

Mustaphall 1695 


King  of  France. 
Louis  XIV 1643 

Kings  of  Spain. 

Charles  II 1665 

Philip  V 1700 


King  of  Portugal. 
Pedro  II 1683 


King  of  Denmark. 
Christian  V 1670 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Charles  XI 1660 

Charles  XII 1691 


284  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton.  John  Locke.  Archbishop  Tillotson.  Bishop  Burnet. 
Duke  Schomberg.  General  Schomberg,  son  of  the  duke.  Montague,  earl 
1  lalifax.  Russel,  earl  of  Oxford.  John,  lord  Somers.  Anthony  Ashley 
Cooper,  earl  of  Shaftesbury  (grandson  to  the  nobleman  mentioned  in  a  former 
reign).  Sheffield,  duke  of  Buckingham.  John,  lord  Cutts.  Admir  '  **•-<■«' 
lord  Berkley,  &c. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ANNE. 

Born  1664.    Died  August,  1714.    Began  to  reign  March  8, 1702.    Reigned 
12£  years. 

SECTION  I. 

Ye  active  streams,  wher'er  your  waters  flow, 

Let  distant  climes  and  farthest  nations  know 

What  ye  from  Thames  and  Danube  have  been  taught, 

How  Anne  commanded,  and  how  Marbro'  fought.  —  Prior. 

1.  (A.D.  1702.)  Anne,  married  to  prince  George  of 
Denmark,  ascended  the  throne  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of 
her  age,  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  all  parties.  She  was 
the  second  daughter  of  king  James,  by  his  first  wife,  the 
daughter  of  chancellor  Hyde,  afterwards  earl  of  Clarendon. 
Upon  coming  to  the  crown,  she  resolved  to  declare  war 
against  France,  and  communicated  her  intentions  to  the 
house  of  commons,  by  whom  it  was  approved,  and  war  was 
proclaimed  accordingly. 

2.  This  declaration  of  war,  on  the  part  of  the  English, 
was  seconded  by  similar  declarations  by  the  Dutch  and 
Germans  on  the  same  day.  The  French  monarch  could  not 
suppress  his  anger  at  such  a  combination,  but  his  chief  re- 
sentment fell  upon  the  Dutch.  He  declared  with  great  emo- 
tion, that,  as  for  these  gentlemen  pedlars,  the  Dutch,  they 
should  one  day  repent  their  insolence  and  presumption  in 
declaring  war  against  one  whose  power  they  had  formerly 
felt  and  dreaded.  3.  However,  the  affairs  of  the  allies 
were  no  way  influenced  by  his  threats.  The  duke  of  Marl- 
borough had  his  views  gratified,  in  being  appointed  genera) 
of  the  English  forces  :  and  he  was  still  farther  flattered  by 
the  Dutch,  who,  though  the  earl  of  Athlone  had  a  right  to 
share  the  command,  appointed  Marlborough  generalissimo 
of  the  allied  army.  4.  And  it  must  be  confessed,  that  few 
men  shone  more,  either  in  debate  or  action,  than  he ;  serene 
in  the  midst  of  danger,  and  indefatigable  in  the  cabinet ;  so 


ANNE. 


2&5 


Marlborough. 


that  he  became  the  most  formidable  enemy  to  France  that 
England  ever  produced,  since  the  conquering  times  of  Creasy 
and  Agincourt. 

5.  A  great  part  of  the  history  of  this  reign  consists  in  bat- 
tles fought  upon  the  continent,  which,  though  of  very  little 
advantage  to  the  interest  of  the  nation,  were  very  great 
additions  to  its  honour.  These  triumphs,  it  is  true,  are 
passed  away,  and  nothing  remains  of  them  but  the  names  of 
Blenheim,  Ramilies,  Oudenarde,  and  Malplaquet,  where  the 
allied  army  gained  great,  but  (with  respect  to  England)  use- 
less victories. 

6.  A  conquest  of  much  greater  national  importance  was 
gained  with  less  expense  of  blood  and  treasure  in  Spain. 
The  ministry  of  England,  understanding  that  the  French 
were  employed  in  equipping  a  strong  squadron  in  Brest, 
sent  out  sir  Cloudesly  Shovel  and  sir  George  Rooke  to  watch 
their  motions.  Sir  George,  however,  had  further  orders  to 
convoy  a  body  of  forces  in  transport-ships  to  Barcelona,  upon 
which  a  fruitless  attack  was  made  by  the  prince  of  Hesse. 
7.  Finding  no  hopes,  therefore,  from  this  expedition,  in  two 
days  after  the  troops  were  re-embarked,  sir  George  Rooke, 
joined  by  sir  Cloudesly,  called  a  council  of  war  on  board 
the  fleet,  as  they  lay  off  the  coast  of  Africa.  In  this  they 
resolved  to  make  an  attempt  upon  Gibraltar,  a  city  then  be- 
longing to  the  Spaniards,  at  that  time  ill  provided  with  o 
garrison,  as  neither  expecting  nor  fearing  such  an  attempt. 


ANNE.  286 

8.  The  town  of  Gibraltar  stands  upon  a  tongue  of  land, 
as  the  mariners  call  it,  and  defended  by  a  rock  inaccessible 
on  every  side  but  one.  The  prince  of  Hesse  landed  his 
troops,  to  the  number  of  eight  hundred,  on  the  continent  ad- 
joining, and  summoned  the  town  to  surrender,  but  without 
effect.  9.  Next  day  the  admiral  gave  orders  for  cannonading 
the  town ;  and,  perceiving  that  the  enemy  were  driven  from 
their  fortifications  at  a  place  called  the  South  Mole  Head, 
ordered  captain  Whitaker  to  arm  all  the  boats,  and  assault 
that  quarter.  Those  officers  who  happened  to  be  nearest 
the  Mole  immediately  manned  their  boats  without  orders, 
and  entered  the  fortifications  sword  in  hand.  10.  Bat  they 
were  premature  ;  for  the  Spaniards  sprung  a  mine,  by  which 
two  lieutenants  and  about  one  hundred  men  were  killed 
or  wounded.  Nevertheless,  the  two  captains,  Hicks  and 
Jumper,  took  possession  of  a  platform,  and  kept  their  ground 
until  they  were  sustained  by  captain  Whitaker,  and  the  rest 
of  the  seamen,  who  took  a  redoubt  between  the  Mole  and 
the  town  by  storm.  Then  the  governor  capitulated,  and 
the  prince  of  Hesse  entered  the  place,  amazed  at  the  success 
of  the  attempt,  considering  the  strength  of  the  fortifications, 
11.  When  the  news  of  this  conquest  was  brought  to  Eng- 
land, it  was  for  some  time  in  debate  whether  it  was  a  cap- 
ture worth  thanking  the  admiral  for.  It  was  at  last  consi- 
dered as  unworthy  public  gratitude ;  and,  while  the  duke  of 
Marlborough  was  extolled  for  useless  services,  sir  George 
Iiooke  was  left  to  neglect,  and  soon  displaced  from  his  com- 
mand for  having  so  essentially  served  his  country.  A  strik- 
ing instance,  that,  even  in  the  most  enlightened  age,  popular 
applause  is  most  usually  misplaced.  12.  Gibraltar  has  ever 
since  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  English,  and  continues 
of  the  utmost  use  in  refitting  that  part  of  the  navy  destined 
to  annoy  an  enemy,  or  protect  our  trade  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Here  the  English  have  a  repository  capable  of  con- 
taining all  things  necessary  for  the  repairing  of  fleets  or  the 
equipment  of  armies. 

13.  While  the  English  were  thus  victorious  by  land  and 
sea,  a  new  scene  of  contention  was  opened  on  the  side  of 
Spain,  where  the  ambition  of  the  European  princes  exerted 
itself  with  the  same  fury  that  had  filled  the  rest  of  the  conti- 
nent. Philip  the  Fourth,  grandson  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth, 
had  been  placed  upon  the  throne  of  that  kingdom,  and  had 
been  received  with  the  joyful  concurrence  of  the  greatest  part 
of  his  subjects.     14.  He  had  also  been  nominated  successor 


ANNE.  287 

to  the  crown  by  the  late  king  of  Spain's  will.  But,  in  a 
former  treaty  among  the  powers  of  Europe,  Charles,  son  of 
the  emperor  of  Germany,  was  appointed  heir  to  that  crown  ; 
and  this  treaty  had  been  guaranteed  by  France  herself,  though 
she  now  resolved  to  reverse  that  consent  in  favour  of  a  de- 
scendant of  the  house  of  Bourbon.  15.  Charles  was  still 
farther  led  on  to  put  in  for  the  crown  of  Spain  by  the  invi- 
tations of  the  Catalonians,  who  declared  in  his  favour,  and 
by  the  assistance  of  the  English  and  the  Portuguese,  who 
promised  to  arm  in  his  cause.  He  was  furnished  with  two 
hundred  transports,  thirty  ships  of  war,  and  nine  thousand 
men,  for  the  conquest  of  that  extensive  empire.  But  the 
earl  of  Peterborough,  a  man  of  romantic  bravery,  offered  to 
conduct  them  ;  and  his  single  service  was  thought  equiva- 
lent to  armies. 

16.  The  earl  of  Peterborough  was  one  of  the  most  sin- 
gular and  extraordinary  men  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 
When  yet  but  fifteen,  he  fought  against  the  Moors  in  Africa ; 
at  twenty  he  assisted  in  compassing  the  revolution,  and  he 
now  carried  on  the  war  in  Spain  almost  at  his  own  expense  ; 
his  friendship  for  the  duke  Charles  being  one  of  his  chief 
motives  to  this  great  undertaking.  He  was  deformed  in  his 
person  ;  but  of  a  mind  the  most  generous,  honourable,  and 
active.  His  first  attempt  upon  landing  in  Spain  was  the 
taking  of  Barcelona,  a  strong  city,  with  a  garrison  of  five 
thousand  men,  while  the  whole  army  amounted  to  little  more 
than  nine  thousand.  The  prince  of  Hesse  was  killed  in  this 
action. 

17.  These  successes,  however,  were  but  of  short  continu- 
ance; Peterborough  being  recalled,  and  the  army  under 
Charles  being  commanded  by  the  lord  Galway.  This  no- 
bleman, having  received  intelligence  that  the  enemy,  under 
the  command  of  the  duke  of  Berwick,  was  posted  near  the 
town  of  Almanza,  he  advanced  thither  to  give  him  battle. 
18.  The  conflict  began  about  two  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
whole  front  of  each  army  was  fully  engaged.  The  centre, 
consisting  chiefly  of  battalions  from  Great  Britain  and  Hol- 
land, seemed  at  first  victorious  ;  but  the  Portuguese  horse, 
by  whom  they  were  supported,  betaking  themselves  to  flight 
in  the  first  charge,  the  English  troops  were  flanked  and  sur- 
rounded on  every  side.  19.  In  this  dreadful  emergency 
they  formed  themselves  into  a  square,  and  retired  to  an  emi 
nence  where  being  ignorant  of  the  country,  and  destitute  of 
all  supplies,  they  were  obliged  to  surrender  prisoners  of 


■ms 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Death  of  the  prince  of  Heise  at  Barcelona. 


war,  to  the  number  of  ten  thousand  men.  This  victory  was 
complete  and  decisive ;  and  all  Spain,  except  the  province 
of  Catalonia,  returned  to  their  duty  to  Philip  their  sovereign. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  succeeded  William  ? 

Against  whom  did  Anne  declare  war  ? 

2.  How  did  the  French  monarch  express  his  anger  ? 

3.  Who  was  appointed  generalissimo  ? 

4.  What  is  his  character  ? 

5.  Where  did  the  nation  gain  great  victories  ? 

6, 7.  What  important  conquest  was  next  obtained  ? 
8—10.  Relate  the  particulars. 

11.  What  opinion  did  the  nation  entertain  of  it? 

12.  Was  not  this  opinion  unfounded  ? 

13 — 15.  What  new  scenes  of  contention  arose  ? 

16.  What  were  the  character  and  conduct  of  the  earl  of  Peterborough? 

18,  19.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  battle  of  Almanza. 


SECTION  II. 

Henceforth,  she  said,  in  each  returning  year, 

One  stem  ihe  thistle  and  ihe  rose  shall  bear ; 

The  thistle's  lasting  grace— thou,  O  my  rose,  shaltbe; 

The  warlike  thistle's  arm  a  sure  defence  to  thee.  —  Rowe. 

1.  (A.  D.  1707.)  The  councils  of  the  queen  had  hitherto 
been  governed  by  a  whig  ministry ;  for,  though  the  duke 
of  Marlborough  had  first  started  in  the  tory  interest,  he  soon 
joined  the  opposite  faction,  as  he  found  them  most  sincere 


ANNE. 


299 


in  their  desires  to  humble  the  power  of  France.  The  whigs, 
therefore,  still  pursued  the  schemes  of  the  late  king ;  and 
impressed  with  a  republican  spirit  of  liberty,  strove  to 
humble  despotism  in  every  part  of  Europe.  2.  In  a  go- 
vernment, where  the  reasoning  of  individuals,  retired  from 
power,  generally  leads  those  who  command,  the  designs  of 
the  ministry  must  alter  as  the  people  happen  to  change. 
The  people,  in  fact,  were  beginning  to  change.  But  pre- 
vious to  the  disgrace  of  the  whig  ministry,  whose  fall  was 
now  hastening,  a  measure  of  the  greatest  importance  took 
place  in  parliament;  a  measure  that  had  been  wished  by 
many,  but  thought  too  difficult  for  execution.  3.  What  X 
mean  is,  the  union  between  the  two  kingdoms  of  England 
and  Scotland ;  which  though  they  were  governed  by  one 
sovereign  since  the  accession  of  James  the  First,  yet  were 
still  ruled  by  their  respective  parliaments,  and  often  professed 
to  pursue  opposite  interests  and  different  designs. 

4.  The  attempt  for  an  union  was  begun  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  reign ;  but  some  disputes  arising  relative  to  the 
trade  of  the  East,  the  conference  was  broken  up,  and  it  was 
thought  that  an  adjustment  would  be  impossible.  5.  It  was 
revived  by  an  act  in  either  parliament,  granting  power  to 
commissioners,  named  on  the  part  of  both  nations,  to  treat 
on  the  preliminary  articles  of  an  union,  which  should  after- 
wards undergo  a  more  thorough  discussion  by  the  legislative 
body  of  both  kingdoms.  The  choice  of  these  commission- 
ers was  left  to  the  queen,  and  she  took  care  that  none  should 
be  employed  but  such  as  heartily  wished  to  promote  so  de- 
sirable a  measure. 

6.  Accordingly,  the  queen  having  appointed  commission- 
ers on  both  sides,  they  met  in  the  council-chamber  of  the 
Cockpit,  near  Whitehall,  which  was  the  place  appointed  for 
the  conferences.  As  the  queen  frequently  exhorted  the 
commissioners  to  despatch  the  articles  of  this  famous  Union 
were  soon  agreed  to,  and  signed  by  the  commissioners ;  and 
it  only  remained  to  lay  them  before  the  parliaments  of  both 
nations. 

7.  In  this  famous  treaty  it  was  stipulated  that  the  succes- 
sion to  the  united  kingdom  should  be  vested  in  the  house 
of  Hanover ;  that  the  united  kingdoms  should  be  represented 
by  one  and  the  same  parliament ;  that  all  the  subjects  of 
Great  Britain  should  enjoy  a  communion  of  privileges  and 
advantages.  8.  That  they  should  have  the  same  allowance 
and  privileges,  with  respect  to  commerce  and  customs  ;  that 

2B 


290 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


the  laws  concerning  public  right,  civil  government,  and 
policy,  should  be  the  same  through  the  two  united  king* 
doms ;  but  that  no  alteration  should  be  made  in  the  laws 
which  concerned  private  rights,  except  for  the  evident  benefit 
of  the  subjects  of  Scotland.  9.  That  the  courts  of  session, 
and  all  other  courts  of  judicature  in  Scotland,  should  re- 
main, as  then  constituted  by  the  laws  of  that  kingdom,  with 
the  same  authority  and  privileges  as  before  the  union  ;  and 
that  Scotland  should  be  represented  in  the  parliament  of 
Great  Britain  by  sixteen  peers  and  forty-five  commoners,  to 
be  elected  in  such  a  manner  as  should  be  settled  by  the 
present  parliament  of  Scotland.  10.  That  all  peers  of  Scot- 
land should  be  considered  as  peers  of  Great  Britain,  and 
rank  immediately  after  the  English  peers  of  the  like  degree 
at  the  time  of  the  union,  and  before  such  as  should  be 
created  after  it;  that  they  should  enjoy  all  privileges  of 
English  peers,  except  that  of  sitting  or  voting  in  parliament, 
or  sitting  upon  the  trial  of  peers  ;  and  that  all  the  insignia 
of  royalty  and  government  should  remain  as  they  were. 
11.  That  all  laws  or  statutes  in  either  kingdom,  as  far  as 
they  may  be  inconsistent  with  the  terms  of  these  articles, 
should  cease,  and  be  declared  void  by  the  respective  parlia- 
ments of  the  two  kingdoms.  These  were  the  principal 
articles  of  the  union ;  and  it  only  remained  to  obtain  the 
sanction  of  the  legislature  of  both  kingdoms  to  give  them 
authority. 

12.  The  arguments  of  these  different  assemblies  were 
suited  to  the  audience.  To  induce  the  Scots  parliament  to 
come  into  the  measure,  it  was  alleged,  by  the  ministry  and 
their  supporters,  that  an  entire  and  perfect  union  would  be 
the  solid  foundation  of  a  lasting  peace.  It  would  secure 
their  religion,  liberty,  and  property  ;  remove  the  animosities 
that  prevailed  among  themselves,  and  the  jealousies  that 
subsisted  between  the  two  nations.  13.  It  would  increase 
their  strength,  riches,  and  commerce ;  the  whole  island 
would  be  joined  in  affection,  and  freed  from  all  apprehen- 
sions of  different  interests  ;  it  would  be  enabled  to  resist  all 
its  enemies,  support  the  protestant  interests,  and  maintain 
the  liberties  of  Europe.  It  was  observed,  that  the  less  the 
wheels  of  government  were  clogged  by  a  multiplicity  of 
councils,  the  more  vigorous  would  be  their  exertions.  14. 
They  were  shown  that  the  taxes  which,  in  consequence 
of  this  union,  they  were  to  pay,  were  by  no  means  so  pro- 
portionably  great  as  their  share  in  the  legislature ;  that  then 


ANNE.  291 

taxes  did  not  amount  to  a  seventieth  part  of  those  supplied 
by  the  English ;  and  yet  their  share  in  the  legislature  was 
not  a  tenth  part  less.  Such  were  the  arguments  in  favour 
of  the  union  addressed  to  the  Scots  parliament.  15.  In  the 
English  houses  it  was  observed,  that  a  powerful  and  dan- 
gerous nation  would  thus  for  ever  be  prevented  from  giving 
them  any  disturbance.  That,  in  case  of  any  future  rupture, 
England  had  every  thing  to  lose,  and  nothing  to  gain, 
against  a  nation  that  was  courageous  and  poor. 

16.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Scots  were  fired  with  indig- 
nation at  the  thought  of  losing  their  ancient  and  indepen- 
dent government.  The  nobility  found  themselves  degraded 
in  point  of  dignity  and  influence,  by  being  excluded  from 
their  seats  in  parliament.  The  trading  part  of  the  nation 
beheld  their  commerce  loaded  with  heavy  duties,  and  con- 
sidered their  new  privileges  of  trading  to  the  English  plan- 
tations in  the  West  Indies  as  a  very  uncertain  advantage. 
17.  In  the  English  house  it  also  was  observed,  that  the 
union  of  a  rich  with  a  poor  nation  would  always  be  benefi- 
cial to  the  latter,  and  that  the  former  could  only  hope  for  a 
participation  of  their  necessities.  It  was  said  that  the  Scots 
reluctantly  yielded  to  this  coalition,  and  it  might  be  likened 
to  a  marriage  with  a  woman  against  her  consent  18.  It 
was  supposed  to  be  an  Union  made  up  of  so  many  unmatched 
pieces,  and  such  incongruous  ingredients,  that  it  eould  never 
take  effect.  It  was  complained  that  the  proportion  of  the 
land-tax  paid  by  the  Scots  was  small,  and  unequal  to  their 
share  in  the  legislature. 

19.  At  length,  notwithstanding  all  opposition  made  by 
the  tories,  every  article  in  the  union  was  approved  by  a 
great  majority  in  both  parliaments.  Thus  all  were  obliged 
to  acquiesce  in  an  union  of  which  they  at  first  had  not  the 
sagacity  to  distinguish  the  advantage. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  whom  had  the  queen's  counsels  hitherto  been  governed  ? 

2,  3.  What  important  measure  took  place  in  parliament  ? 
4—6.  By  what  means  was  the  union  effected  ? 

7 — 11.  Kelate  the  stipulations  contained  in  this  famous  treaty. 
12—14.  What  arguments  were  used  to  induce  the  Scots  to  come  into  the 

measure  ? 
io.  What  arguments  were  made  use  of  to  the  English? 
16.  In  what  manner  did  the  Scots  receive  this  message  ? 
17   How  was  it  received  by  the  English  ? 
18.  What  opinion  was  held  concerning  it? 
i£.  Did  the  measure  succeed  ? 


292  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

SECTION  III. 

Of  Church  and  State  who  dearest  deems 
Should  carefully  avoid  extremes.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1708.)  In  the  mean  time  the  whig  ministry  was 
every  day  declining.  Among  the  number  of  those  whom 
the  dutchess  of  Marlborough  had  introduced  to  the  queen, 
to  contribute  to  her  private  amusement,  was  one  Mrs. 
Masham,  her  own  kinswoman,  whom  she  had  raised  from 
indigence  and  obscurity.  The  dutchess,  having  gained  the 
ascendent  over  the  queen,  became  petulant  and  insolent,  and 
relaxed  in  those  arts  by  which  she  had  risen.  2.  Mrs. 
Masham,  who  had  her  fortune  to  make,  was  more  humble 
and  assiduous ;  she  flattered  the  foibles  of  the  queen,  and 
assented  to  her  prepossessions.  She  soon  saw  the  queen's 
inclination  to  the  tory  set  of  opinions,  their  divine  right  and 
passive  obedience  ;  and  instead  of  attempting  to  thwart  her, 
as  the  dutchess  had  done,  she  joined  in  with  her  partiality, 
and  even  outdid  her  in  her  own  way. 

3.  This  lady  was,  in  fact,  the  tool  of  Mr.  Harley,  secre- 
tary o*"  state,  who  also  some  time  before  had  insinuated 
himself  into  the  queen's  good  graces,  who  had  determined 
to  sap  the  credit  of  the  whig  ministers.  His  aim  was  to 
unite  the  tory  interest  under  his  own  shelter,  and  to  expel 
the  whigs  from  the  advantages  which  they  had  long  enjoyed 
under  government. 

4.  In  this  career  of  his  ambition  he  chose  for  his  coad- 
jutor Henry  St.  John,  afterwards  the  famous  lord  Boling- 
broke ;  a  man  of  great  eloquence,  and  greater  ambition ; 
enterprising,  restless,  active,  and  haughty,  with  some  wit  and 
little  principle.  To  this  junto  was  added  sir  Simon  Har- 
court,  a  lawyer,  a  man  of  great  abilities. 

5.  It  was  now  perceived  that  the  people  themselves  began 
to  be  weary  of  a  whig  ministry,  whom  they  formerly  ca- 
ressed. To  them  they  imputed  the  burdens  under  which 
they  groaned, — burdens  which  they  had  been  hitherto  ani- 
mated to  bear  by  the  pomp  of  triumph  ;  but  the  load  of 
which  they  felt  in  a  pause  of  success. 

6.  Harley,  afterwards  known  by  the  title  of  lord  Oxford, 
was  at  the  bottom  of  all  these  complaints  ;  and  though  they 
did  not  produce  an  immediate  effect,  yet  they  did  not  fail 
of  a  growing  and  steady  operation. 

7.  At  length  the  whig  party  of  the  ministry  opened  their 
eyes  to  the  intrigues  of  the  tories.    But  it  was  now  too  late , 


ANNE,  293 

they  had  entirely  lost  the  confidence  of  the  queen.  Harley 
soon  threw  off  the  mask  of  friendship,  and  took  more 
vigorous  measures  for  the  prosecution  of  his  designs.  In 
him  the  queen  reposed  all  her  trust,  though  he  had  now  no 
visible  concern  in  the  administration,  8.  The  first  triumph 
of  the  tories,  in  which  the  queen  discovered  a  public  par- 
tiality in  their  favour,  was  seen  in  a  transaction  of  no  great 
importance  in  itself,  but  from  the  consequence  it  produced. 
The  parties  of  the  nation  were  eager  to  engage,  and  they 
wanted  but  the  watchword  to  begin.  This  was  given  by  a 
man  neither  of  abilities,  property,  nor  powers  but  whom 
accident  brought  forward  on  this  occasion. 

9.  Henry  Sacheverel  was  a  clergyman  bred  at  Oxford, 
of  narrow  intellects,  and  an  overheated  imagination.  He 
had  acquired  some  popularity  among  those  who  had  dis- 
tinguished themselves  by  the  name  of  high  churchmen,  and 
had  taken  all  occasions  to  vent  his  animosity  against  the 
dissenters.  At  the  summer  assizes  at  Derby,  he  held  forth 
in  that  strain  before  the  judges.  On  the  fifth  of  November, 
in  St.  Paul's  church,  he,  in  a  violent  declamation,  defended 
the  doctrine  of  non-resistance,  inveighed  against  the  tolera- 
tion of  dissenters,  declared  the  church  was  dangerously  at- 
tacked by  its  enemies,  and  slightly  defended  by  its  false 
friends.  "  10.  He  sounded  the  trumpet  for  the  zealous,  and 
exhorted  the  people  to  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God. 
Sir  Samuel  Gerrard,  lord  mayor,  countenanced  this  ha- 
rangue, which,  though  very  weak  both  in  matter  and  style, 
was  published  under  his  protection,  and  extolled  by  the 
tories  as  a  masterpiece  of  writing.  These  sermons  owed 
all  their  celebrity  to  the  complexion  of  the  times,  and  they 
are  now  deservedly  neglected. 

11.  Mr.  Dolben,  son  of  the  archbishop  of  York,  laid  a 
complaint  before  the  house  of  commons  against  these  rhap- 
sodies, and  thus  gave  force  to  what  would  soon  have  been 
forgotten.  The  most  violent  paragraphs  were  read,  and 
the  sermons  voted  scandalous  and  seditious  libels.  Sache 
verel  was  brought  to  the  bar  of  the  house,  and  he,  far  from 
disowning  the  writing  of  them,  gloried  in  what  he  had 
done,  and  mentioned  the  encouragement  he  had  received  to 
publish  them  from  the  lord  mayor,  who  was  then  present. 
12.  Being  ordered  to  withdraw,  it  was  resolved  to  impeach 
him  of  high  crimes  and  misdemeanours  at  the  bar  of  the 
house  of  lords  ;  Mr.  Dolben  was  fixed  upon  to  conduct  the 
prosecution,  in  the  name  of  the  commons  of  England.  A 
2b2 


294  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

committee  was  appointed  to  draw  up  articles  of  impeach* 
ment :  Sacheverel  was  taken  into  custody  :  and  a  day  was 
appointed  for  his  trial  before  the  lords  in  Westminster-hall, 

13.  The  eyes  of  the  whole  kingdom  were  turned  upon 
this  very  extraordinary  trial,  which  lasted  three  weeks,  and 
excluded  all  other  public  business  for  the  time.  The  queen 
herself  was  every  day  present  as  a  private  spectator,  whilst 
vast  multitudes  attended  the  culprit  each  day  as  he  went  to 
the  hall,  shouting  as  he  passed,  or  silently  praying  for  his 
success.  The  managers  for  the  commons  were  sir  Joseph 
Jekyi,  Mr.  Eyre,  solicitor-general,  sir  Peter  King,  recorder, 
general  Stanhope,  sir  Thomas  Parker,  and  Mr.  Walpole. 
14.  The  doctor  was  defended  by  sir  Simon  Harcourt  and 
Mr.  Philips,  and  assisted  by  doctor  Atterbury,  doctor  Small- 
ridge,  and  doctor  Friend.  While  the  trial  continued,  nothing 
could  exceed  the  violence  and  outrage  of  the  populace. 
They  surrounded  the  queen's  sedan,,  exclaiming,  "  God 
bless  your  majesty  and  the  church  !  We  hope  your  majesty 
is  for  doctor  Sacheverel."  15.  They  destroyed  several 
meeting-houses,  plundered  the  dwellings  of  many  eminent 
dissenters,  and  even  proposed  to  attack  the  bank.  The 
queen,  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  the  commons, 
published  a  proclamation  for  suppressing  the  tumults  ;  and 
several  persons,  being  apprehended,  were  tried  for  high- 
treason.  Two  were  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  die ;  but 
neither  suffered. 

16.  When  the  commons  had  gone  through  their  charge, 
the  managers  for  Sacheverel  undertook  his  defence  with 
great  art  and  eloquence.  He  afterwards  recited  a  speech 
himself,  which,  from  the  difference  found  between  it  and 
his  sermons,  seemed  evidently  the  work  of  another*  17. 
In  it  he  solemnly  justified  his  intentions  towards  the  queen 
and  her  government.  He  spoke  in  the  most  respectful 
terms  of  the  revolution,  and  the  protestant  succession.  He 
maintained  the  doctrine  of  non-resistance  as  the  tenet  of  the 
church  in  which  he  was  brought  up  ;  and  in  a  pathetic  con- 
clusion endeavoured  to  excite  the  pity  of  his  audience 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1,  2.  What  circumstances  led  to  the  fall  of  the  whig  ministers  X 
3,  4.  Who  were  the  principal  persons  opposed  to  them  ? 

5.  What  made  the  people  dissatisfied  ? 

6.  Who  was  the  cause  of  their  discontent? 

7.  In  whom  did  the  queen  repose  her  trust  ? 


8.  In  what  accident  originated  the  contention  between  the  two  parties 

9.  What  was  the  subject  of  Sacheverel's  writings  ? 

10.  Who  countenanced  and  extolled  them  ? 

1 1.  What  notice  did  parliament  take  of  these  writings  ? 

12.  What  followed  ? 

13.  Who  were  the  managers  for  the  commons  ? 

14.  By  whom  was  he  defended  ? 

What  was  the  conduct  of  the  populace  ? 

15.  Whit  outrages  did  they  commit  ? 

16, 17.  What  was  the  purport  of  Sacheverel's  defence  . 


SECTION  IV. 

Next  to  the  thunderer  let  Anne  stand 

In  piety  supreme  as  in  command  ; 

Famed  for  victorious  arms  and  generous  aid, 

Young  Austria's  refuge,  and  fierce  Bourbon's  dread.  — LansdotOne. 

1.  (A.D.  1709.)  At  length,  after  much  obstinate  dispute 
and  virulent  altercation,  Sacheverel  was  found  guilty,  by  a 
majority  of  seventeen  voices ;  but  no  less  than  four-and- 
thirty  peers  entered  a  protest  against  this  decision.  He 
was  prohibited  from  preaching  for  three  years  ;  and  his  two 
sermons  were  ordered  to  be  burnt  by  the  hand  of  the  com- 
mon hangman,  in  presence  of  the  lord  mayor  and  the  two 
sheriffs.  The  lenity  of  this  sentence,  which  was  in  a  great 
measure  owing  to  the  dread  of  popular  resentment,  was 
considered  by  the  tories  as  a  triumph. 

2.  Such  was  the  complexion  of  the  times,  when  the 
queen  thought  proper  to  summon  a  new  parliament ;  and 
being  a  friend  to  the  tories  herself,  she  gave  the  people  an 
opportunity  of  indulging  themselves  in  choosing  representa- 
tives to  her  mind.  In  fact,  very  few  were  returned  but  such 
as  had  distinguished  themselves  by  their  zeal  against  the 
whig  administration. 

3.  In  the  mean  time  the  campaign  in  Flanders  was  con- 
ducted with  the  most  brilliant  success.  The  duke  of 
Marlborough  had  every  motive  to  continue  the  war,  as  it 
gratified  not  only  his  ambition,  but  his  avarice.;  a  passion 
that  obscured  his  shining  abilities. 

4.  The  king  of  France  appeared  extremely  desirous  of  a 
peace,  and  resolved  to  solicit  a  conference.  He  employed 
one  Perkum,  resident  of  the  duke  of  Holstein  at  the  Hague, 
to  negotiate  upon  this  subject,  and  he  ventured  also  to  solicit 
the  duke  himself  in  private.  A  conference  was  at  length 
begun  at  Gertruydenburg,  under  the  influence  of  Marlbo- 
rough, Eugene,  and  Zinzendorf,  who  were  all  three,  from 
private  motives,  entirely  averse  to  the  treaty.  5.  Upon  this 
occasion  the  French  minvsters  were  subjected  to  every  spe- 


296  HISTORY    OP   ENGLAND. 

cies  of  mortification.  Spies  were  placed  upon  all  their 
conduct.  Their  master  was  insulted,  and  their  letters  were 
opened ;  till  at  last  Louis  resolved  to  hazard  another  cam- 
paign. 6.  It  was  only  by  insensible  degrees  that  the  queen 
seemed  to  acquire  courage  enough  to  second  her  inclinations, 
and  depose  a  ministry  that  had  long  been  disagreeable  to 
her.  Harley,  however,  who  still  shared  her  confidence,  did 
not  fail  to  inculcate  the  popularity,  the  justice,  and  the  secu- 
rity of  such  a  measure ;  and,  in  consequence  of  his  advice, 
she  began  the  changes,  by  transferring  the  post  of  lord- 
chamberlain  from  the  duke  of  Kent  to  the  duke  of  Shrews- 
bury, who  had  lately  voted  with  the  tories,  and  maintained 
an  intimate  correspondence  with  Mr.  Harley.  7.  Soon 
after  the  earl  of  Sunderland,  secretary  of  state,  and  son-in- 
law  to  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  was  displaced,  and  the  earl 
of  Dartmouth  put  in  his  room.  Finding  that  she  was 
rather  applauded  than  condemned  for  this  resolute  proceed- 
ing, she  resolved  to  become  entirely  free. 

.  8.  Soon  after  the  earl  of  Godolphin  was  divested  of  his 
office,  and  the  treasury  put  in  commission,  subjected  to 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Harley,  who  was  appointed  chancellor 
of  the  exchequer,  and  under-treasurer.  9.  The  earl  of 
Rochester  was  declared  president  of  the  council,  in  the 
room  of  lord  Somers.  The  staff  of  the  lord-steward,  being 
taken  from  the  duke  of  Devonshire,  was  given  to  the  duke 
of  Buckingham  ;  and  Mr.  Boyle  was  removed  from  the 
secretary's  office  to  make  way  for  Mr.  Henry  St.  John. 
The  lord  chancellor  having  resigned  the  great  seal,  it  was 
first  put  in  commission,  and  then  given  to  sir  Simon  Har- 
court.  10.  The  earl  of  Wharton  surrendered  his  commis- 
sion of  lord-lieutenant  of  Ireland,  and  that  employment 
was  conferred  upon  the  duke  of  Ormond.  Mr.  George 
Grenville  was  appointed  secretary  of  war,  in  the  room  of 
Mr.  Robert  Walpole ;  and,  in  a  word,  there  was  not  one 
whig  left  in  any  office  of  the  state,  except  the  duke  of 
Marlborough.  He  was  still  continued  the  reluctant  general 
of  the  army  ;  but  he  justly  considered  himself  as  a  ruin 
entirely  undermined,  and  just  ready  to  fall. 

11.  But  the  triumph  was  not  yet  complete  until  the 
parliament  was  brought  to  confirm  and  approve  the  queen's 
choice.  The  queen,  in  her  speech,  recommended  the  pro- 
secution of  the  war  with  vigour.  The  parliament  were 
ardent  in  their  expressions  of  zeal  and  unanimity.  They 
exhorted  her   to   discountenance   all   such  principles   and 


ANNE.  297 

measures  as  had  lately  threatened  her  royal  crown  and 
dignity.  This  was  but  an  opening  to  what  soon  after  fol- 
lowed. 12.  The  duke  of  Marlborough,  who  but  a  few 
months  before  had  been  so  highly  extolled  and  caressed  by 
the  representatives  of  the  people,  was  now  become  the 
object  of  their  hatred  and  reproach.  His  avarice  was  justly 
upbraided  ;  his  protracting  the  war  was  said  to  arise  from 
that  motive.  Instances  were  every  where  given  of  his 
fraud  and  extortion.  These  might  be  true  ;  but  party  had 
no  moderation,  and  even  his  courage  and  conduct  were  called 
in  question.  13.  To  mortify  the  duke  still  more,  the  thanks 
of  the  house  of  commons  were  voted  to  the  earl  of  Peter- 
borough for  his  services  in  Spain,  when  they  were  refused 
to  the  duke  for  those  in  Flanders  ;  and  the  lord-keeper,  who 
delivered  them  to  Peterborough,  took  occasion  to  drop  some 
reflection  against  the  mercenary  disposition  of  his  rival. 

14.  Nothing  now,  therefore,  remained  of  the  whig  sys- 
tem, upon  which  this  reign  was  begun,  but  the  war,  which 
continued  to  rage  as  fierce  as  ever,  and  which  increased  in 
expense  every  year  as  it  went  on.  It  was  the  resolution 
of  the  present  ministry  to  put  an  end  to  it  at  any  rate,  as  it 
had  involved  the  nation  in  debt  almost  to  bankruptcy ;  and 
as  it  promised,  instead  of  humbling  the  enemy,  only  to 
become  habitual  to  the  constitution. 

15.  It  only  remained  to  remove  the  duke  of  Marlborough 
from  his  post,  as  he  would  endeavour  to  traverse  all  their 
negotiations.  But  here  again  a  difficulty  started;  this  step 
could  not  be  taken  without  giving  offence  to  the  Dutch,  who 
placed  entire  confidence  in  him  ;  they  were  obliged,  there- 
fore, to  wait  for  some  convenient  occasion.  Upon  his 
return  from  the  campaign  he  was  accused  of  having  taken  a 
bribe  of  six  thousand  pounds  a  year  from  a  Jew,  who  con- 
tracted to  supply  the  army  with  bread  ;  and  the  queen 
thought  proper  to  dismiss  him  from  all  his  employments. 
16.  This  was  the  pretext  made  use  of,  though  his  fall  had 
been  predetermined ;  and  though  his  receiving  such  a  bribe 
was  not  the  real  cause  of  his  removal,  yet  candour  must 
confess  that  it  ought  to  have  been  so. 

In  the  mean  time,  Prior,  much  more  famous  as  a  poet 
than  a  statesman,  was  sent  over  with  proposals  to  France  ; 
and  Menager,  a  mar  of  no  great  station,  returned  with 
Prior  to  London,  with  full  powers  to  treat  upon  the  pre- 
liminaries. 

17.  The  ministry  having  got  thus  far,  the  great  difficulty 


298  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

still  lay  before  them,  of  making  the  terms  of  peace  agreeable 
to  all  the  confederates.  The  earl  of  Strafford,  who  had 
been  lately  recalled  from  the  Hague,  where  he  resided  as 
ambassador,  was  now  sent  back  to  Holland,  with  orders  to 
communicate  to  the  pensionary  Heinsius  the  preliminary 
proposals,  to  signify  the  queen's  approbation  of  them,  and  to 
propose  a  place  where  the  plenipotentiaries  should  assemble. 
18.  The  Dutch  were  very  averse  to  begin  the  conference, 
upon  the  inspection  of  the  preliminaries.  They  sent  over 
an  envoy  to  attempt  to  turn  the  queen  from  her  resolution  ; 
but,  finding  their  efforts  vain,  they  fixed  upon  Utrecht  as  a 
place  of  general  conference,  and  they  granted  passports  to 
the  French  ministers  accordingly. 

19.  The  conference  began  at  Utrecht,  under  the  conduct 
of  Robinson,  bishop  of  Bristol,  lord  privy-seal,  and  the  earl 
of  Strafford,  on  the  side  of  the  English ;  of  Buys  and  Van- 
derdusson,  on  the  part  of  the  Dutch  ;  and  of  the  marshal 
d'Uxelles,  the  cardinal  Polignac,  and  Mr.  Menager,  in 
behalf  of  France.  The  ministers  of  the  emperor  and  the 
duke  of  Savoy  assisted,  and  the  other  allies  sent  also  pleni- 
potentiaries, though  with  the  utmost  reluctance.  20.  As 
England  and  France  were  the  only  two  powers  that  were 
seriously  inclined  to  peace,  it  may  be  supposed  that  all  the 
other  deputies  served  rather  to  retard  than  advance  its  pro- 
gress. They  met  rather  to  start  new  difficulties,  and  widen 
the  breach,  than  to  quiet  the  dissensions  of  Europe. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Was  Sacheverel  found  guilty  ? 
What  was  his  sentence  ? 

2.  Which  party  prevailed  in  the  new  parliament  ? 
3 — 5.  What  took  place  in  Flanders  ? 

6 — 10.  What  change  in  the  ministry  took  place  ? 

11.  In  what  manner  did  the  parliament  act  ? 

12,  13.  What  conduct  was  observed  towards  the  duke  of  Marlborough  ? 

14.  What  was  the  resolution  of  the  present  ministry? 

15.  With  what  crime  was  Marlborough  charged  ? 

16.  17.  What  proceedings  were  now  adopted  ? 
18.  Were  the  Dutch  averse  to  the  measure  ? 

19  Where  did  the  conference  begin  ?    By  whom  was  it  conducted  ? 

20  What  retarded  its  progress  ? 


ANNE. 

SECTION  V. 

No  reign  than  Anne's  in  war  more  justly  crown'd, 
No  reign  for  learning  justly  more  renown'd ; 


299 


3~ 


Elizabeth  a  Shaksneare  own'd  ; 

Charles  could  a  Milton  boast;  .-> 

But  Anne  saw  Newton  high  enthroned,  >>. 


Charles  could 
ut  Anne  saw  '. 
Amid  the  heavenly  host.  —  Dibdin 

1.  (A.D.  1712.)  The  English  ministers,  therefore,  finding 
multiplied  obstructions  from  the  deliberations  of  their  allies, 
set  on  foot  a  private  negotiation  with  France.  They  stipu- 
lated certain  advantages  for  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  in 
a  concerted  plan  of  peace.  They  resolved  to  enter  into 
such  mutual  confidence  with  the  French  as  would  anticipate 
all  clandestine  transactions  to  the  prejudice  of  the  coalition. 

2.  In  the  beginning  of  August,  secretary  St.  John,  who 
had  been  created  lord  viscount  Bolingbroke,  was  sent  to  the 
court  of  Versailles  to  remove  all  obstructions  to  the  separate 
treaty.  He  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Prior  and  the  abbe 
Gualtier,  and  treateJ  with  the  most  distinguished  marks  of 
respect.  He  was  caressed  by  the  French  king  and  the 
marquis  de  Torcy,  with  whom  he  adjusted  the  principal 
interests  of  the  duke  of  Savoy  and  the  elector  of  Bavaria. 

3.  At  length  the  treaties  of  peace  and  commerce  between 
England  and  France  being  agreed  on  by  the  plenipotentiaries 
on  either  side,  and  ratified  by  the  queen,  she  acquainted  the 
parliament  of  the  steps  she  had  taken. 

4.  The  articles  of  this  famous  treaty  were  longer  can- 
vassed, and  more  warmly  debated,  than  those  of  any  other 
treaty  read  of  in  history.  The  number  of  different  interests 
concerned,  and  the  great  enmity  and  jealousy  subsisting 
between  all,  made  it  impossible  that  all  could  be  satisfied; 
and  indeed  there  seemed  no  other  method  of  obtaining 
peace  but  that  which  was  taken,  for  the  two  principal  powers 
concerned  to  make  their  own  articles,  and  to  leave  the  rest 
for  a  subject  of  future  discussion. 

5.  The  first  stipulation  was,  that  Philip,  now  acknow- 
ledged king  of  Spain,  should  renounce  all  right  to  the 
crown  of  France,  the  union  of  two  such  powerful  kingdoms 
being  thought  dangerous  to  the  liberties  of  Europe.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  duke  of  Berri,  Philip's  brother,  and  after 
him  in  succession,  should  also  renounce  his  right  to  the 
crown  of  Spain,  in  case  he  became  king  of  France.  6.  It 
was  stipulated  that  the  duke  of  Savoy  should  possess  the 
island  of  Sicily,  with  the  title  of  king,  together  with  Fenis  - 
trelles,  and  other  places  on  the  continent;  which  increase 
of  dominion  was  in  some  measure  made  out  of  the  spoils 
of  the   French  monarchy.      The  Dutch  had   that  barrier 


300  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

granted  them,  which  they  so  long  sought  after  ;  and  if  the 
crown  of  France  was  deprived  of  some  dominions  to  enrich 
the  duke  of  Savoy,  on  the  other  hand  the  house  of  Austria 
was  taxed  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  Hollanders,  who  were 
put  in  possession  of  the  strongest  towns  in  Flanders.  7. 
With  regard  to  England,  its  glory  and  its  interests  were 
secured.  The  fortifications  of  Dunkirk,  a  harbour  that 
might  be  dangerous  to  their  trade  in  time  of  war,  were 
ordered  to  be  demolished,  and  its  port  destroyed.  Spain 
gave  up  all  right  to  Gibraltar  and  the  island  of  Minorca. 
France  resigned  her  pretensions  to  Hudson's  Bay,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  Newfoundland  ;  but  they  were  left  in  possession 
of  Cape  Breton,  and  the  liberty  of  drying  their  fish  upon 
the  shore.  8.  Among  these  articles,  glorious  to  the  English 
nation,  their  setting  free  the  French  protestants  confined  in 
the  prisons  and  galleys  for  their  religion,  was  not  the  least 
meritorious.  For  the  emperor,  it  was  stipulated,  that  he 
should  possess  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  the  dutchy  of  Milan, 
and  the  Netherlands.  The  king  of  Prussia  was  to  have 
Upper  Guelder  ;  and  a  time  was  fixed  for  the  emperor's 
acceding  to  these  articles,  as  he  had  for  some  time  obsti- 
nately refused  to  assist  at  the  negotiation.  9.  Thus  Europe 
seemed  to  be  formed  into  one  great  republic,  the  different 
members  of  which  were  cantoned  out  to  different  governors, 
and  the  ambition  of  any  one  state  amenable  to  the  tribunal 
of  all.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  English  ministry  did 
justice  to  all  the  world  ;  but  their  country  denied  that  jus- 
tice to  them.  -. 

10.  But  while  the  whigs  were  attacking  the  tory  minis- 
ters from  without,  these  were  in  much  greater  danger  from 
their  own  internal  dissensions.  Lord  Oxford  and  lord  Bo- 
lingbroke,  though  they  had  started  with  the  same  principles 
and  designs,  yet,  having  vanquished  other  opposers,  now 
began  to  turn  their  strength  against  each  other.  Both  began 
to  form  separate  interests,  and  to  adopt  different  principles. 
Oxford's  plan  was  the  more  moderate ;  Bolingbroke's  the 
more  vigorous,  but  the  more  secure.  11.  Oxford,  it  wag 
thought,  was  entirely  for  the  Hanoverian  succession  ;  Bo* 
lingbroke  had  some  hopes  of  bringing  in  the  pretender 
But  though  they  hated  each  other  most  sincerely,  yet  they 
were  for  a  while  kept  together  for  the  good  offices  of  their 
friends  and  adherents,  who  had  the  melancholy  prospect  of 
seeing  the  citadel  of  their  hopes,  while  openly  besieged 
from  without,  secretly  undermined  within. 


ANNE  301 

12.  This  was  a  mortifying  prospect  for  the  tories ;  but 
it  was  more  particularly  displeasing  to  the  queen,  who  daily 
saw  her  favourite  minister  declining,  while  her  own  health 
kept  pace  with  their  contentions.  Her  constitution  was 
now  quite  broken.  One  fit  of  sickness  succeeded  another ; 
and  what  completed  the  ruin  of  her  health  was  the  anxiety 
of  her  mind.  These  dissensions  had  such  an  effect  upon 
her  spirits  and  constitution,  that  she  declared  she  could  not 
outlive  it,  and  immediately  sunk  into  a  state  of  lethargic  in- 
sensibility. 13.  Notwithstanding  all  the  medicines  which 
the  physicians  could  prescribe,  the  distemper  gained  ground 
so  fast,  that  the  day  afterwards  they  despaired  of  her  life, 
and  the  privy  council  were  assembled  on  the  occasion. 

All  the  members,  without  distinction,  being  summoned 
from  the  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  began  to  provide 
for  the  security  of  the  constitution.  14.  They  sent  a  letter 
to  the  elector  of  Hanover,  informing  him  of  the  queen's 
desperate  situation,  and  desiring  him  to  repair  to  Holland, 
where  he  would  be  attended  by  a  British  squadron  to  con- 
vey him  to  England.  At  the  same  time  they  despatched 
instructions  to  the  earl  of  Strafford,  at  the  Hague,  to  desire 
the  states-general  to  be  ready  to  perform  the  guarantee  of 
the  protestant  succession.  15.  Precautions  were  taken  to 
secure  the  sea-ports  ;  and  the  command  of  the  fleet  was 
bestowed  upon  the  earl  of  Berkeley,  a  professed  whig. 
These  measures,  which  were  all  dictated  by  that  party, 
answered  a  double  end.  It  argued  their  own  alacrity  in  the 
cause  of  their  new  sovereign,  and  seemed  to  imply  a  danger 
to  the  state  from  the  disaffection  of  the  opposite  interest. 

16.  On  the  thirtieth  of  July,  the  queen  seemed  some- 
what relieved  by  medicines,  rose  from  her  bed  about  eight 
o'clock,  and  walked  a  little.  After  some  time,  casting  her 
eyes  on  a  clock  that  stood  in  her  chamber,  she  continued  to 
gaze  on  it  for  some  minutes.  One  of  the  ladies  in  waiting 
asked  her  what  she  saw  there  more  than  usual,  to  which 
the  queen  only  answered  by  turning  her  eyes  upon  her 
with  a  dying  look.  17.  She  was  soon  after  seized  with  a 
fit  of  apoplexy.  She  continued  all  night  in  a  state  of  stu- 
pefaction, and  expired  the  next  morning,  in  the  forty-ninth 
year  of  her  age.  She  reigned  more  than  twelve  years  over 
a  people  that  was  now  risen  to  the  highest  pitch  of  refine- 
ment; that  had  attained  by  their  wisdom  all  the  advantages 


2C 


302 


HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 


of  opulence,  and,  by  their  valour, 
curity  and  conquest.* 


all  the  happiness  of  se- 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1,  2.  What  circumstances  preceded  the  treaty  with  France  ? 
3,  4.  After  its  conclusion,  in  what  manner  was  it  received? 

5.  What  was  the  first  stipulation  ? 

6.  What  the  next  ? 

7.  How  did  the  treaty  regard  England  ? 

8.  Which  article  of  the  treaty  was  meritorious  to  the  English  nation  ? 
What  were  the  stipulations  regarding  the  emperor  and  the  king  of 

Prussia  ? 

9.  What  appearance  did  Europe  now  exhibit  ? 

10.  What  dissension  took,  place  between  Oxford  and  Bolingbroke 

11.  What  was  thought  to  be  their  different  views'?   , 

12.  What  effect  had  this  disunion  on  the  queen  ? 

13 — 15.  When  the  queen's  life  was  despaired  of,  what  measures  were 
taken  ? 

16.  What  immediately  preceded  the  queen's  death  ? 

17.  How  long  did  she  reign  ? 

What  was  the  situation  of  England  at  her  death  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Pope. 

A.    D. 

Clement  XI 1700 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Leopold 1658 

Joseph  1 1705 

Charles  VI 1711 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 

Mustaphall 1695 


A.    D. 

Achmetlll 1703 

King  of  France. 

Louis  XIV. 1643 

King  of  Spain. 

Philip  V 1700 

King  of  Portugal. 
Pedro  II 1683 


a;  r». 
John  V 1707 

King  of  Denmark. 

Frederick  IV 1669 

King  of  Sweden. 
Charles  XII 1697 

King  of  Prussia. 
Frederick  1 1701 


*  It  has  been  a  subject  of  general  remark,  that  England  flourished  more  under 
the  reigns  of  Elizabeth  and  Anne,  than  under  those  of  its  most  distinguished 
kings.  Though  the  actions  and  principles  of  these  princesses  were  widely  differ- 
ent, yet  their  reigns  were  equally  remembered  with  gratitude  by  their  subjects, 
and  both  of  them  have  acquired  the  endearing  epithets  of  good  queens.  With  a 
pleasing  countenance  and  melodious  voice,  were  united  in  the  person  of  queen 
Anne  those  amiable  virtues,  which  add  so  great  a  lustre  to  the  charms  of  beauty, 
and  place  the  female  character  in  so  admirable  a  light.  Good-natured,  affable 
and  kind  ;  she  was  an  affectionate  wife,  a  tender  mother,  a  warm  friend,  a  gene- 
rous patroness,  and  a  benevolent  and  merciful  sovereign.  Though  she  was  defi- 
cient in  the  shining  qualities  of  queen  Elizabeth,  yet  she  surpassed  that  princess 
in  her  fondness  for  her  subjects;  and  as  Elizabeth  acquired  the  good  will  of  the 
English  by  the  greatness  of  her  actions,  so  Anne  was  beloved  by  her  people,  be- 
cause she  evinced  a  maternal  affection  for  them.  Nor  should  the  fact  pass  unno- 
ticed, that  notwithstanding  the  prevalence  of  factions  and  the  dissensions  of  par- 
ties, during  this  reign,  the  blood  of  no  subject  was  shed  for  treason. 


GEORGE    I.  303 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 

Chnrchill,  duke  of  Marlborough;*  lord  Bolingbroke  ;  sir  William  Temple; 
Boyle,  earl  of  Orrery:  Swift;  Sidney,  earl  of  Godolphin  ;  Harley.earl  of  Oxford  ; 
Mordaunt,  earl  of  Peterborough;  Howard,  earl  of  Suffolk  ;  D.  Finch,  earl  of 
Nottingham;  G.  Grenville,  lord  Lansdowne  ;  Philip,  duke  of  Wharton  :  R.  lord 
Raymond  :  lord-chancellor  King  :  T.  lord  Paget ;  Sarah  dutchess  of  Marlborough. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
GEORGE  I. 

Born  1660.  Died  June  11, 1727.  Began  to  reign  August  1,  1714.  Reigned  12J  years. 

SECTION  I. 

The  common  weal  should  be  the  first  pursuit 
Of  the  crown'd  warrior ;  for  the  royal  brows 
The  people  first  enwreathed,  —  Seward. 

1.  (A.  D.  1714.)  Pursuant  to  the  act  of  succession, 
George  the  First,  son  of  Ernest  Augustus,  first  elector  of 
Brunswick,   and   the    princess   Sophia,    grand-daughter   to 

*  John  Churchill,  duke  of  Marlborough,  was  the  son  of  sir  Winston  Churchill, 
and  was  born  at  Ashe,  in  Devonshire,  in  1650.  At  the  age  of  12  he  became  page 
to  the  duke  of  York.  About  1666  he  was  made  an  ensign  in  the  guards,  and 
served  for  some  time  at  Tangier ;  and  this  seems  to  have  decided  him  in  the 
choice  of  a  profession.  He  was  a  great  favourite  at  court,  and  the  duchess  of 
Cleveland  presented  him  £ 5,000,  with  which  he  purchased  a  life-annuity.  In 
1772  he  accompanied  the  duke  of  Monmouth  to  the  continent  as  a  captain  of 
grenadiers,  and  there  fought  under  the  great  Turenne,  with  whom  he  was  known 
by  the  name  of  the  handsome  Englishman.  At  the  siege  of  Maestricht  he  dis- 
tinguished himself  so  highly  as  to  obtain  the  public  thanks  of  the  king  of  France. 
Returning  to  England,  he  advanced  from  one  post  to  another.  On  the  accession 
of  James  II.,  he  was  created  baron  Churchill  of  Sundridge,  and  on  that  of  Wil- 
liam and  Mary,  earl  of  Marlborough.  When  Anne  took  the  throne  in  1702,  he 
was  made  captain  general  of  all  the  forces  at  home  and  abroad,  and  sent  plenipo- 
tentiary to  the  Hague,  where  he  was  also  made  captain-general  by  the  states. 
This  was  followed  by  a  series  of  the  most  splendid  campaigns  ever  made  by  the 
armies  of  England.  But  in  1711,  he  was  removed  from  his  command  by  a  minis- 
try that  was  opposed  to  him.  At  the  accession  of  George  I.  he  was  reinstated. 
After  assisting  in  the  defeat  of  the  rebellion  in  1715,  he  withdrew  from  public 
employments,  and  died  in  1722,  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age. 

The  dutchess,  his  widow,  a  lady  of  great  ambition  and  avarice,  became  very 
celebrated,  and  died  in  1744,  after  amassing  great  wealth. 

The  palace  which  was  built  for  him  by  the  nation  at  Woodstock,  near  Oxford, 
after  his  celebrated  victory  at  Blenheim,  is  one  of  the  finest  structures  in  the 
kingdom. 


Blenheim. 
The  architect,  sir  John  Vanburgh,  has  been  censured  as  having  built  it  in  too 
heavy  a  style ;  and  this  caused  the  mock  epitaph  on  him  to  be  received  with 
much  favour : 

Lie  heavy  on  him,  earth,  for  he 
Laid  many  a  heavy  load  on  thee. 
But  many  consider  the  criticism  unjust. 


304  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

James  the  First,  ascended  the  British  throne.  His  mature 
age,  he  being1  now  fifty-four  years  old,  his  sagacity  and 
experience,  his  numerous  alliances,  and  the  general  tran- 
quillity of  Europe,  all  contributed  to  establish  his  interests, 
and  to  promise  him  a  peaceable  and  happy  reign.  2.  His 
abilities,  though  not  shining,  were  solid ;  he  was  of  a  very 
different  disposition  from  the  Stuart  family  whom  he  suc- 
ceeded. These  were  known,  to  a  proverb,  for  leaving  their 
friends  in  extremity.  George,  on  the  contrary,  soon  after 
his  arrival  in  England,  was  heard  to  say,  "  My  maxim  is, 
never  to  abandon  my  friends,  to  do  justice  to  all  the  world, 
and  to  fear  no  man." 

3.  To  these  qualifications  of  resolution  and  perseverance 
he  joined  great  application  to  business.  However,  one  fault 
with  respect  to  England  remained  behind ;  he  studied  the 
interest  of  those  subjects  ne  had  left  more  than  those  he 
came  to  govern. 

4.  The  queen  had  no  sooner  resigned  her  breath,  than 
the  privy-council  met,  and  three  instruments  were  produced, 
by  which  the  elector  appointed  several  of  his  known  adhe- 
rents to  be  added  as  lords-justices  to  seven  great  officers  of 
the  kingdom.  Orders  also  were  immediately  issued  out  for 
proclaiming  George,  king  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland. 
The  regency  appointed  the  earl  of  Dorset  to  carry  him  the 
intimation  of  his  accession  to  the  crown,  and  to  attend  him 
on  his  journey  to  England.  They  sent  the  general  officers, 
in  whom  they  could  confide,  to  their  posts ;  they  reinforced 
the  garrison  of  Portsmouth,  and  appointed  the  celebrated 
Mr.  Addison  secretary  of  state.  5.  To  mortify  the  late 
ministry  the  more,  lord  Bolingbroke  was  obliged  to  wait 
every  morning  in  the  passage  among  the  servants  with  his 
bag  of  papers,  where  there  were  persons  purposely  placed 
to  insult  and  deride  him.  No  tumult  appeared,  no  commo- 
tion arose  against  the  accession  of  the  new  king,  and  this 
gave  a  strong  proof  that  no  rational  measures  were  even 
taken  to  obstruct  his  exaltation. 

6.  When  he  first  landed  at  Greenwich,  he  was  received 
by  the  duke  of  Northumberland,  captain  of  the  life-guard, 
and  the  lords  of  the  regency.  When  he  retired  to  his  bed- 
chamber, he  sent  for  such  of  the  nobility  as  had  distin- 
guished themselves  by  their  zeal  for  his  succession.  Bu* 
the  duke  of  Ormond,  the  lord-chancellor,  and  the  lord-trea- 
surer, found  themselves  excluded. 

7.  The  king  of  a  faction  is  but  the  sovereign  of  half  his 


GEORGE    V  305 

subjects.  Of  this,  however,  the  new-elected  monarch  did 
not  seem  to  be  sensible.  It  was  his  misfortune,  and  con- 
sequently that  of  the  nation,  that  he  was  hemmed  round  by 
men  who  soured  him  with  their  own  interests.  None  now 
but  the  leaders  of  a  party  were  admitted  into  employment. 
The  whigs,  while  they  pretended  to  secure  the  crown  for 
their  king,  were,  with  all  possible  arts,  confirming  their  own 
interests,  extending  their  connexions,  and  giving  laws  to 
the  sovereign.  8.  An  instantaneous  and  total  change  was 
made  in  all  the  offices  of  trust,  honour,  and  advantage.  The 
whigs  governed  the  senate  and  the  court,  whom  they  would 
have  oppressed  ;  bound  the  lower  orders  of  people  with 
severe  laws,  and  kept  them  at  a  distance  by  vile  distinctions  ; 
and  taught  them  to  call  this — liberty  ! 

9.  These  partialities  soon  raised  discontents  among  the  peo- 
ple, and  the  king's  attachment  considerably  increased  the 
discontents  throughout  the  kingdom.  The  clamour  of  the 
church's  being  in  danger  was  revived.  Birmingham,  Bris- 
tol, Norwich,  and  Reading,  still  remembered  the  spirit  with 
which  they  had  declared  for  Sacheverel ;  and  now  the  cry 
was,  "  Down  with  the  whigs,  and  Sacheverel  for  ever  !" 

10.  Upon  the  first  meeting  of  the  new  parliament,  in 
which  the  whigs,  with  the  king  at  their  head,  were  predo- 
minant, nothing  was  expected  but  the  most  violent  measures 
against  the  late  ministry,  nor  were  the  expectations  of  man- 
kind disappointed.     (A.D.  1714.) 

11.  The  lords  professed  their  hopes  that  the  king  would 
be  able  to  recover  the  reputation  of  the  kingdom  on  the  con- 
tinent, the  loss  of  which  they  affected  to  deplore.  The 
commons  went  much  further  ;  they  declared  their  resolution 
to  trace  out  those  measures  by  which  the  country  was  de- 
pressed ;  they  resolved  to  seek  after  those  abettors  on  whom 
the  pretender  seemed  to  ground  his  hopes  ;  and  they  deter- 
mined to  bring  such  to  condign  punishment. 

12.  It  was  the  artifice,  during  this  and  the  succeeding 
reign,  to  stigmatize  all  those  who  testified  their  discontent 
against  government  as  papists  and  Jacobites.  All  who  at- 
tempted to  speak  against  the  violence  of  their  measures  were 
reproached  as  designing  to  bring  in  the  pretender ;  and  most 
people  were  consequently  afraid  to  murmur,  since  discontent 
was  so  near  akin  to  treason.  The  people,  therefore,  beheld 
the  violence  of  their  conduct  in  silent  fright,  internally  dis- 
approving, yet  not  daring  to  avow  their  detestation. 

13.  A   committee  was   appointed,  consisting  of  twenty 

2c2 


306  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

persons,  to  inspect  all  the  papers  relative  to  the  late  negoti- 
ation for  peace  ;  and  to  pick  out  such  of  them  as  might  serve 
as  subjects  of  accusation  against  the  late  ministry.  After 
some  time  spent  in  this  disquisition,  Mr.  Walpole,  as  chair- 
man of  the  committee,  declared  to  the  house  that  a  report 
was  drawn  up  ;  and  in  the  mean  time  moved  that  a  warrant 
might  be  issued  for  apprehending  Mr.  Matthew  Prior  and 
Mr.  Thomas  Harley,  who,  being  in  the  house,  were  imme- 
diately taken  into  custody.  14.  He  then  impeached  lord 
Bolingbroke  of  high-treason.  This  struck  some  of  the 
members  with  amazement :  but  they  were  still  more  asto- 
nished, when  lord  Coningsby,  rising  up,  was  heard  to  say, 
"  The  worthy  chairman  has  impeached  the  hand,  but  I  im- 
peach the  head  ;  he  has  impeached  the  scholar,  and  I  the 
master;  I  impeach  Robert  earl  of  Oxford  and  the  earl  of 
Mortimer  of  high-treason,  and  other  crimes  and  misdemea- 
nours." 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Under  what  circumstances  did  George  I.  ascend  the  throne  ? 

2.  What  were  his  abilities  and  disposition  ? 
What  was  his  maxim  ? 

3.  What  fault  has  been  attributed  to  him  ? 

4.  What  was  the  first  act  of  the  privy  council? 

5  In  what  manner  was  Bolingbroke  treated  ? 

6  By  whom  was  the  king  received  on  his  landing  ? 

7  By  whom  was  the  king  advised,  and  what  was  the  result  ? 
8,  9.  What  did  these  partialities  produce  ? 

10,  1 1.  In  what  manner  did  the  new  parliament  act? 

12.  What  did  their  proceedings  produce  ? 

13,  14.  For  what  purpose  was  a  committee  appointed? 


SECTION  II. 

Where  Scotland's  cloud-capped  hills  appear, 

See  Mar  the  rebel  standard  rear  : 

The  rash  pretender's  hopes  are  vain ; 

His  followers  dispersed  or  slain.  —  Davies. 


1.  (A.D.  1714.)  When  lord  Oxford  appeared  in  the  house 
of  lords  the  day  following,  he  was  avoided  by  the  peers  as 
infectious  ;  and  he  had  now  an  opportunity  of  discovering 
the  baseness  of  mankind.  When  the  articles  were  read 
against  him  in  the  ho'jse  of  commons,  a  warm  debate  arose 
upon  that  in  which  he  was  charged  with  having  advised  tht 
French  king  of  the  manner  of  gaining  Tournay  from  the 
Dutch.  2.  Mr.  Walpole  alleged  that  it  was  treason.  Si^ 
Joseph  Jekyl,  a  known  whig,  said  that  he  could  never  be 
of  opinion  that  it  amounted  to  treason.     It  was  his  principle 


GEORGE  I.  307 

he  said,  to  do  justice  to  all  men,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest.  He  hoped  he  might  pretend  to  some  knowledge  of 
the  law,  and  would  not  scruple  to  declare,  upon  this  part  of 
the  question,  in  favour  of  the  criminal.  3.  To  this  Wal- 
pole  answered,  with  great  warmth,  that  there  were  several 
persons,  both  in  and  out  of  the  committee,  who  did  not  in 
the  least  yield  to  that  member  in  point  of  honesty,  and  ex- 
ceeded him  in- the  knowledge  of  the  laws,  and  yet  were 
satisfied  that  the  charge  in  that  article  amounted  to  high- 
treason.  4.  This  point  being  decided  against  the  earl,  and 
the  other  articles  proved  by  the  house,  the  lord  Coningsby, 
attended  by  the  whig  members,  impeached  him  soon  after 
at  the  bar  of  the  house  of  lords  ;  demanding,  at  the  same 
time,  that  he  might  lose  his  seat,  and  be  committed  to  cus- 
tody. When  this  point  came  to  be  debated  in  the  house  of 
lords,  a  violent  altercation  ensued.  Those  who  still  adhered 
to  the  deposed  minister,  maintained  the  injustice  and  danger 
of  such  proceedings.  5.  At  last  the  earl  himself  rose  up, 
and  with  great  tranquillity  observed,  that,  for  his  own  part, 
he  always  acted  by  the  immediate  directions  and  command 
of  the  queen,  his  mistress  :  he  had  never  offended  against 
any  known  law,  and  was  unconcerned  for  the  life  of  an  in- 
significant old  man.  Next  day  he  was  brought  to  the  bar, 
where  he  received  a  copy  of  his  indictment,  and  was  allow- 
ed a  month  to  prepare  his  answer.  Though  Dr.  Mead  de- 
clared, that  if  the  earl  should  be  sent  to  the  Tower  his  Life 
would  be  in  danger,  it  was  carried  in  the  house  that  he  should 
be  committed. 

6.  At  the  same  time  the  duke  of  Ormond  and  lord  Boling- 
broke,  having  omitted  to  surrender  themselves  (for  they  had 
actually  fled  to  the  continent)  within  a  limited  time,  it  was 
ordered  that  the  earl-marshal  should  rase  out  their  names 
and  arms  from  among  the  list  of  peers ;  and  inventories  were 
taken  of  their  estates  and  possessions,  which  were  declared 
forfeited  to  the  crown. 

7.  Lord  Oxford  being  confined  in  the  Tower,  he  continued 
there  for  two  years,  during  which  time  the  nation  was  in  a 
continual  ferment,  from  an  actual  rebellion  that  was  carried 
on  unsuccessfully.  After  the  execution  of  some  lords,  who 
were  taken  in  arms,  the  nation  seemed  glutted  with  blood, 
and  that  was  the  time  that  lord  Oxford  petitioned  to  be 
brought  to  trial.  8.  He  knew  that  the  fury  of  the  nation 
was  spent  on  objects  that  were  really  culpable,  and  expected 
that  his  case  would  look  like  innocence  itselr  compared  to 


308  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

theirs.  A  day,  therefore,  at  his  own  request,  was  assigned 
him,  and  the  commons  were  ordered  to  prepare  for  their 
charge.  At  the  appointed  time  the  peers  repaired  to  the 
court  in  Westminster-hall,  where  lord  Cowper  presided  as 
lord  high  steward.  9.  But  a  dispute  arising  between  the 
lords  and  commons,  concerning  the  mode  of  liis  trial,  the 
lords  voted  that  the  prisoner  should  be  set  at  liberty.  To 
this  dispute  he  probably  owed  the  security  of  his  title  and 
fortune ;  for,  as  to  the  articles  importing  him  guilty  of  high- 
treason,  they  were  at  once  malignant  and  frivolous,  so  that 
his  life  was  in  no  manner  of  danger. 

10.  In  the  mean  time  these  vindictive  proceedings  excited 
the  indignation  of  the  people,  who  perceived  that  the  ave- 
nues to  royal  favour  were  closed  against  all  but  a  faction. 
The  flames  of  rebellion  were  actually  kindled  in  Scotland. 
The  earl  of  Mar,  assembling  three  hundred  of  his  own  vas- 
sals in  the  Highlands,  proclaimed  the  pretender  at  Castle- 
down,  and  set  up  his  standard  at  a  place  called  Braemaer, 
assuming  the  title  of  lieutenant-general  of  his  majesty's 
forces.  11.  To  second  these  attempts,  two  vessels  arrived 
in  Scotland  from  France,  with  arms,  ammunition,  and  a 
number  of  officers,  together  with  assurances  to  the  earl,  that 
me  pretender  himself  would  shortly  come  over  to  head  his 
«wn  forces.  The  earl,  in  consequence  of  ihis  promise,  soon 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  ten  thousand  men,  well  armed 
and  provided.  12.  The  duke  of  Argyle>  apprized  of  his  in- 
tentions, and  at  any  rate  willing  to  prove  his  attachment  to 
the  present  government,  resolved  to  give  him  battle  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Dumblain,  thong*,  his  forces  did  not  amount 
to  half  the  number  of  the  enemy.  After  an  engagement, 
which  continued  several  hours,  in  the  evening  both  sides 
4rew  off,  and  both  sides  claimed  the  victory.  13.  Though 
the  possession  of  the  field  was  kept  by  neither,  yet  certainly 
fill  the  honour  and  all  the  advantages  of  the  day  belonged  to 
the  duke  of  ArgyJe.  It  was  sufficient  for  him  to  have  inter- 
rupted the  progress  of  the  enemy  ;  for,  in  their  circumstances, 
delay  was  defeat.  The  earl  of  Mar  soon  found  his  disap^ 
pointment  and  losses  increase.  The  castle  of  Inverness,  ot 
which  he  was  in  possession,  was  delivered  up  to  the  king 
by  lord  Lovat,  who  had  hitherto  professed  to  act  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  pretender.  14.  The  marquis  of  Tullibardine 
forsook  the  earl,  in  order  to  defend  his  own  part  of  the  coun- 
try ;  and  many  of  the  clans,  seeing  no  likelihood  of  coming 
soon  to  a  second  engagement,  returned  quietly  home  ■  for 


GEORGE    I.  309 

an  irregular  army  is  much  easier  led  to  battle  than  induced 
to  bear  the  fatigues  of  a  campaign. 

15.  In  the  mean  time  the  rebellion  was  much  more  un- 
successfully prosecuted  in  England.  From  the  time  the 
pretender  had  undertaken  this  wild  project  at  Paris,  in  which 
the  duke  of  Ormond  and  lord  Bolingbroke  were  engaged, 
lord  Stair,  the  English  ambassador  there,  had  penetrated  all 
his  designs,  and  sent  faithful  accounts  of  all  his  measures, 
and  all  his  adherents,  to  the  ministry  at  home.  Upon  the 
first  rumour,  therefore,  of  an  insurrection,  they  imprisoned 
several  lords  and  gentlemen,  of  whom  they  had  a  suspicion. 
16.  The  earls  of  Home,  Wintown,  Kinnoul,  and  others, 
were  committed  to  the  castle  of  Edinburgh.  The  king  ob- 
tained leave  from  the  lower  house  to  seize  sir  William 
Wyndham,  sir  John  Packington,  Harvey  Combe,  and  others. 
The  lords  Lansdowne  and  Duplin  were  taken  into  custody. 
Sir  William  Wyndham's  father-in-law,  the  duke  of  Somer- 
set, offered  to  become  bound  for  his  appearance,  but  his 
surety  was  refused. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  peers  towards  lord  Oxford  ? 

2.  In  what  way  was  he  defended  by  sir  John  Jekyl  ? 

3.  What  was  the  answer  of  Walpole  ? 

4.  Who  impeached  the  earl  of  Oxford  before  the  lords? 

5.  What  answer  did  his  lordship  make  to  the  charge  ? 

6.  What  proceedings  were  taken  against  Ormond  and  Bolingbroke  ? 

7.  In  what  state  was  the  nation  at  this  time  ? 

8.  Under  what  circumstances  did  Oxford  request  his  trial  ? 

9.  What  occasioned  his  being  set  at  liberty  ? 
10.  What  excited  the  indignation  of  the  people  ? 

11 — 14.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  rebellion  of  Scotland. 

15.  Who,  penetrating  into  the  wild  project  of  the  pretender,  sent  accounts  of 

all  his  measures  ? 

16.  Who  were  imprisoned  in  consequence  ? 


SECTION  III. 

Swift  to  the  north  his  troops  he  leads 

O'er  rapid  floods  iind  hills  of  snow; 
No  toil  the  glorious  march  impedes 

That  bears  the  Briton  to  the  foe.  —  Anon 

1.  (A.D.  1715.)  All  these  precautions  were  not  able  to 
stop  the  insurrection  in  the  western  counties,  where  it  was 
already  begun.  However,  all  their  preparations  were  weak 
and  ill-conducted,  every  measure  was  betrayed  to  government 
as  soon  as  projected,  and  many  revolts  suppressed  in  the 
very  outset.  2.  The  university  of  Oxford  was  treated  with 
great  severity  on  this  occasion.     Major-general  Pepper,  with 


310  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

a  strong  detachment  of  dragoons,  took  possession  of  the  city 
at  daybreak,  declaring  that  he  would  instantly  shoot  any  of 
the  students  who  should  presume  to  appear  without  the  limits 
of  their  respective  colleges.  The  insurrections  in  the  northern 
counties  came  to  greater  maturity.  3.  In  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, 1715,  the  earl  of  Derwentwater,  and  Mr.  Forster,  took 
the  field  with  a  large  body  of  horse,  and  being  joined  by 
some  gentlemen  from  the  borders  of  Scotland,  proclaimed 
the  pretender.  Their  first  attempt  was  to  seize  upon  New- 
castle, in  which  they  had  many  friends,  but  they  found  the 
gates  shut  against  them,  and  were  obliged  to  retire  to  Hex- 
ham. 4.  To  oppose  these,  general  Carpenter  was  detached 
by  government  with  a  body  of  nine  hundred  men,  and  an 
engagement  was  hourly  expected.  The  rebels  had  pro- 
ceeded by  the  way  of  Kendal  and  Lancaster  to  Preston,  of 
which  place  they  took  possession  without  any  resistance. 
But  this  was  the  last  stage  of  their  ill-advised  incursion  ;  for 
general  Wills,  at  the  head  of  seven  thousand  men,  came  up 
to  the  town  to  attack  them,  and  from  his  activity  there  was 
no  escaping.  5.  They  now,  therefore,  began  to  raise  barri- 
cados,  and  to  place  the  town  in  a  posture  of  defence,  repuls- 
ing the  first  attack  of  the  royal  army  with  success.  Next 
day,  however,  Wills  was  reinforced  by  Carpenter,  and  the 
town  was  invested  on  all  sides.  In  this  deplorable  situation, 
to  which  they  were  reduced  by  their  own  rashness,  Forster 
hoped  to  capitulate  with  the  general,  and  accordingly  sent 
colonel  Oxburgh,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  with  a 
trumpeter,  to  propose  a  capitulation.  6.  This,  however, 
Wills  refused,  alleging  that  he  would  not  treat  with  rebels, 
and  that  the  only  favour  they  had  to  expect  was  to  be  spared 
from  immediate  slaughter.  These  were  hard  terms,  yet  no 
better  could  be  obtained.  They  accordingly  laid  down  their 
arms,  and  were  put  under  a  strong  guard ;  all  the  noblemen 
and  leaders  were  secured,  and  a  few  of  the  officers  tried  for 
deserting  from  the  royal  army,  and  shot  by  order  of  a  court- 
martial.  The  common  men  were  imprisoned  at  Chester 
and  Liverpool ;  the  noblemen  and  considerable  officers  were 
sent  to  London,  and  led  through  the  streets,  pinioned  and 
bound  together,  to  intimidate  their  party. 

7.  The  pretender  might,  by  this  time,  have  been  con- 
vinced of  the  vanity  of  his  expectations,  in  supposing  that 
the  whole  country  would  rise  up  in  his  cause.  His  affairs 
were  actually  desperate ;  yet,  with  his  usual  infatuation,  he 
resolved  to  hazard  his  person  among  his  friends  in  Scotland; 


GEORGE   I.  311 

at  a  time  when  such  a  measure  was  too  late  for  success.  8. 
Passing,  therefore,  through  France  in  disguise,  and  embark- 
ing in  a  small  vessel  at  Dunkirk,  he  arrived,  after  a  passage 
of  a  few  days,  on  the  coast  of  Scotland,  with  only  six  gen- 
tlemen in  his  train.  He  passed  unknown  through  Aberdeen 
to  Feterosse,  where  he  was  met  by  the  earl  of  Mar,  and 
about  thirty  noblemen  and  gentlemen  of  the  first  quality. 
9.  There  he  was  solemnly  proclaimed.  His  declaration, 
dated  at  Commercy,  was  printed  and  dispersed.  He  went 
from  thence  to  Dundee,  where  he  made  a  public  entry,  and 
in  two  days  more  he  arrived  at  Scoon,  where  he  intended  to 
have  the  ceremony  of  the  coronation  performed.  He  order- 
ed thanksgivings  to  be  made  for  his  safe  arrival ;  he  enjoined 
the  ministers  to  pray  for  him  in  their  churches ;  and,  with- 
out the  smallest  share  of  power,  went  through  the  ceremo- 
nies of  royalty,  which  threw  an  air  of  ridicule  on  all  his 
conduct.  10.  Having  thus  spent  some  time  in  unimportant 
parade,  he  resolved  to  abandon  the  enterprise  with  the  same 
levity  with  which  it  was  undertaken.  Having  made  a  speech 
to  his  grand  council,  he  informed  them  of  his  want  of  money, 
arms,  and  ammunition,  for  undertaking  a  campaign,  and 
therefore  deplored  that  he  was  compelled  to  leave  them.  He 
once  more  embarked  on  board  a  small  French  ship  that  lay 
in  the  harbour  of  Montrose,  accompanied  by  several  lords, 
his  adherents,  and  in  five  days  arrived  at  Gravelin. 

11.  In  this  manner  ended  a  rebellion,  which  nothing  but 
imbecility  could  project,  and  nothing  but  rashness  could 
support.  But  though  the  enemy  was  no  more,  the  fury  of 
the  victors  did  not  seem  in  the  least  to  abate  with  success. 
The  law  was  now  put  in  force  with  all  its  terrors  ;  and  the 
prisons  of  London  were  crowded  with  those  deluded 
wretches,  whom  the  ministry  seemed  resolved  not  to  pardon. 

12.  The  commons,  in  their  address  to  the  crown,  declared 
they  would  prosecute  in  the  most  rigorous  manner  the  authors 
of  the  late  rebellion.  In  consequence  of  which  the  earls  of 
Derwentwater,  Nithisdale,  Carnwath,  and  Wintown,  the 
lords  Widrington,  Kenmuir,  and  Nairne,  were  impeached, 
and,  upon  pleading  guilty,  all  but  lord  Wintown  received 
sentence  of  death.  No  entreaties  could  soften  the  ministry 
to  spare  these  unhappy  men.  The  countess  of  Derwent- 
water, with  her  sister  and  several  other  ladies  of  the  first  dis- 
tinction, being  introduced  into  the  presence  of  the  king,  be- 
sought his  clemency  for  her  husband,  but  without  effect. 

13.  Orders  were  despatched  for  executing  the  lords  Der- 


312  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 


Countess  of  Derwentwater  interceding  for  her  husband. 

wentwater,  Nithisdale,  and  Kenmuir  immediately  ;  the  rest 
were  respited  to  a  farther  time.  Nithisdale,  however,  had 
the  good  fortune  to  escape  in  women's  clothes,  which  were 
brought  to  him  by  his  mother,  the  night  before  he  was  to 
have  been  executed.  Derwentwater  and  Kenmuir  were 
brought  to  the  scaffold  on  Tower-hill  at  the  time  appointed. 
Both  underwent  their  sentence  with  calm  intrepidity,  pitied 
by  all,  and  seemingly  less  moved  themselves  than  those  who 
beheld  them. 

14.  In  the  beginning  of  April,  commissioners  for  trying 
the  rebels  met  in  the  court  of  common  pleas,  when  bills 
were  found  against  Mr.  Forster,  Mr.  Mackitosnh,  and  twenty 
of  their  confederates. 

15.  Forster  escaped  from  Newgate,  and  reached  the  con 
tinent  in  safety ;  the  rest  pleaded  not  guilty.  Pitts,  the 
keeper  of  Newgate,  being  suspected  of  having  connived  at 
Forster's  escape,  was  tried  for  his  life,  but  acquitted.  Yet, 
notwithstanding  this,  Mackintosh  and  several  other  prisoners 
broke  from  Newgate,  after  having  mastered  the  keeper  and 
turnkey,  and  disarmed  the  sentinel.  16.  The  court  pro- 
ceeded to  the  trial  of  those  that  remained  :  four  or  five  were 
hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered  at  Tyburn  ;  two-and-twenty 
were  executed  at  Preston  and  Manchester;  and  about  a 
thousand  prisoners  experienced  the  king's  mercy,  if  such  it 
might  be  called,  to  be  transported  to  North  America. 

17.  A  rupture  with  Spain,  which  ensued  some  time  aftei 


GEORGE    I.  313 

served  once  more  to  raise  the  declining  expectations  of  the 
pretender  and  his  adherents.  It  was  hoped  that,  by  the 
assistance  of  cardinal  Alberoni,  the  Spanish  minister,  a  new 
insuirection  might  be  carried  on  in  England.  The  duke  of 
Ormond  was  the  person  fixed  upon  to  conduct  this  expedi- 
tion ;  and  he  obtained  from  the  Spanish  eourt  a  fleet  of  ten 
ships  of  war  and  transports,  having  on  board  six  thousand 
regular  troops,  with  arms  for  twelve  thousand  more.  18. 
But  fortune  was  still  as  unfavourable  as  ever.  Having  set 
sail,  and  proceeded  as  far  as  Cape  Finisterre,  he  was  encoun- 
tered by  a  violent  storm,  which  disabled  his  fleet,  and  frus- 
trated the  expedition.  This  misfortune,  together  with  the 
bad  success  of  the  Spanish  arms  in  Sicily,  and  other  parts 
of  Europe,  induced  Philip  to  wish  for  peace ;  and  he  at  last 
consented  to  sign  the  quadruple  alliance.  This  was  at  that 
time  thought  an  immense  acquisition,  but  England,  though 
she  procured  the  ratification,  had  no  share  in  the  advantage 
of  the  treaty. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1    Of  what  nature  was  the  insurrection  in  the  western  counties  ? 

2.  In  what  manner  was  the  university  of  Oxford  treated  ? 

3.  By  whom  was  the  pretender  first  proclaimed  ? 

4.  Relate  the  manner  in  which  they  were  opposed. 

5.  6.  What  was  the  result  of  the  siege  of  Preston  ? 

8,  9.  What  was  the  next  proceeding  of  the  pretender  ? 

10.  What  was  his  conduct  on  abandoning  this  enterprise  ? 

11.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  victors  ? 

12.  What  was  the  declaration  of  the  commons  ?  and  what  was  the  cona© 


quence 


13.  What  orders  were  now  despatched  ? 

14 — 16.  Relate  the  particulars  which  regarded  the  other  rebels. 

17.  What  rupture  raised  the  declining  hopes  of  the  pretender? 

18.  What  was  the  result  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

The  South  Sea  bubble  now  appears. 

Which  caused  some  smiles,  some  countless  tear*, 

And  set  half"  Europe  by  the  ears.  —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1721.)  It  was  about  this  time  that  one  John 
Law,  a  Scotchman,  had  cheated  France  by  erecting  a  com- 
pany under  the  name  of  the  Mississippi,  which  promised 
that  deluded  people  great  wealth,  but  which  ended  in  involv- 
ing the  French  nation  in  great  distress.  It  was  now  that 
the  people  of  England  were  deceived  by  a  project  entirely 
similar,  which  is  remembered  by  the  name  of  the  South 
3D 


314  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Sea  Scheme,  and  which  was  felt  long  after  by  thousands. 
2.  To  explain  this  as  concisely  as  possible,  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served, that  ever  since  the  revolution  under  king  William, 
the  government,  not  having  had  sufficient  supplies  granted 
by  parliament,  or  what  was  granted  requiring  time  to  be 
collected,  they  were  obliged  to  borrow  money  from  several 
different  companies  of  merchants,  and,  among  the  rest,  from 
that  company  which  traded  to  the  South  Sea.  The  South 
Sea  company  having  made  up  their  debt  to  the  government 
ten  millions,  instead  of  six  hundred  thousand  pounds,  which 
they  usually  received  as  interest,  were  satisfied  with  five 
hundred  thousand  pounds. 

3.  It  was  in  this  situation  of  things  that  one  Blount,  who 
had  been  bred  a  scrivener,  and  was  possessed  of  all  the 
cunning  and  plausibility  requisite  for  such  an  undertaking, 
proposed  to  the  ministry,  in  the  name  of  the  South  Sea 
company,  to  buy  up  all  the  debts  of  the  different  companies 
of  merchants,  and  thus  to  become  the  sole  creditor  of  the 
state.  4.  The  terms  he  offered  to  government  were  ex- 
tremely advantageous.  The  South  Sea  company  was  to 
redeem  the  debts  of  the  nation  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
private  proprietors,  who  were  creditors  to  the  government, 
upon  whatever  terms  they  could  agree  on  ;  and  for  the 
interest  of  this  money,  which  they  had  thus  redeemed,  and 
taken  into  their  own  hands,  they  would  be  contented  to  be 
allowed  by  government,  for  six  years,  five  per  cent.  ;  then 
the  interest  should  be  reduced  to  four  per  cent.  ;  and  should 
at  any  time  be  redeemable  by  parliament.  5.  But  now 
came  the  part  of  the  scheme  big  with  fraud  and  ruin.  As 
the  directors  of  the  South  Sea  company  could  not  of  them- 
selves be  supposed  to  possess  money  sufficient  to  buy  up  the 
debts  of  the  nation,  they  were  empowered  to  raise  it  by 
opening  a  subscription  to  a  scheme  for  trading  to  the  South 
Seas,  from  which  commerce  immense  ideal  advantages  were 
promised  by  the  cunning  directors,  and  still  greater  expected 
by  the  rapacious  credulity  of  the  people.  All  persons, 
therefore,  who  were  creditors  to  the  government,  were 
invited  to  come  in,  and  exchange  their  stocks  for  that  of  the 
South  Sea  company. 

6.  The  directors'  books  were  no  sooner  opened  for  the 
first  subscription,  than  crowds  came  to  make  the  exchange 
of  their  stock  for  South  Sea  stock.  The  delusion  was  art- 
fully continued  and  spread.  Subscriptions  in  a  very  few 
'.lays  sold  for  double  the  price  they  had  been  bought  at. 


GEORGE    I.  315 

The  scheme  succeeded  even  beyond  the  projectors'  hopes, 
and  the  whole  nation  was  infected  with  a  spirit  of  avaricious 
enterprise.  The  infatuation  •  prevailed  ;  the  stock  increased 
to  a  surprising  degree,  and  to  nearly  ten  times  the  value  of 
what  it  was  subscribed  for. 

7.  After  a  few  months,  however,  the  people  awoke  from 
their  dreams  of  riches,  and  found  that  all  the  advantages 
they  expected  were  merely  imaginary,  while  thousands  of 
families  were  involved  in  one  common  ruin. 

8.  The  principal  delinquents  were  punished  by  parlia- 
ment with  a  forfeiture  of  all  such  possessions  and  estates  as 
they  had  acquired  during  the  continuance  of  this  popular 
phrensy,  and  some  care  also  was  taken  to  redress  the  suf- 
ferers. The  discontents  occasioned  by  these  public  calami- 
ties once  more  gave  the  disaffected  party  hopes  of  succeed- 
ing. But  in  all  their  councils  they  were  weak,  divided,  and 
wavering. 

9  The  first  person  that  was  seized  upon  suspicion  was 
Francis  Atterbury,  bishop  of  Rochester,  a  prelate  long  ob- 
noxious to  the  present  government,  and  possessed  of  abilities 
to  render  him  formidable  to  any  ministry  he  opposed.  His 
papers  were  seized,  and  he  himself  confined  to  the  Tower. 
Soon  after  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  the  Earl  of  Orrery,  the  lord 
North  and  Grey,  and  some  others  of  inferior  rank,  were  ar- 
rested and  imprisoned.  Of  all  these,  however,  only  the 
bishop,  who  was  banished,  and  one  Mr.  Layer,  who  was 
hanged  at  Tyburn,  felt  the  severity  of  government,  the 
proofs  against  the  rest  amounting  to  no  convictive  evidence, 

10.  The  commons  about  this  time  finding  many  abuses 
had  crept  into  the  court  of  chancery,  which  either  impeded 
justice  or  rendered  it  venal,  they  resolved  to  impeach  the 
chancellor,  Thomas  earl  of  Macclesfield,  at  the  bar  of  the 
house  of  lords,  for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors.  11. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  laborious  and  best  contested  trials 
in  the  annals  of  England.  The  trial  lasted  twenty  days. 
The  earl  proved,  that  the  sums  he  had  received  for  the  sale 
of  places  in  chancery  had  been  usually  received  by  former 
lord  chancellors ;  but  reason  told  that  such  receipts  were 
contrary  to  strict  justice.  Equity,  therefore,  prevailed 
above  precedent ;  the  earl  was  convicted  of  fraudulent  prac- 
tices, and  condemned  to  a  fine  of  thirty  thousand  pounds, 
with  imprisonment  till  the  sum  should  be  paid,  which  was 
accordingly  discharged  about  six  weeks  after. 

12.  In  this  manner,  the  corruption,  venality,  and  avarice 


316  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

of  the  times  had  increased  with  the  riches  and  luxury  of  the 
nation.  Commerce  introduced  fraud,  and  wealth  introduced 
prodigality. 

It  must  be  owned  that  the  parliament  made  some  new 
efforts  to  check  the  progress  of  vice  and  immorality,  which 
now  began  to  be  diffused  through  every  rank  of  life.  But 
they  were  supported  neither  by  the  co-operation  of  the 
ministry,  nor  the  voice  of  the  people. 

13.  It  was  now  two  years  since  the  king  had  visited  his 
electoral  dominions  of  Hanover.  He,  therefore,  soon  after 
the  breaking  up  of  the  parliament,  prepared  for  a  journey 
thither.  (A.  D.  1727.)  Having  appointed  a  regency  in  his 
absence,  he  embarked  for  Holland,  and  lay  upon  his  land- 
ing at  a  little  town  called  Voet.  Next  day  he  proceeded 
on  his  journey,  and  in  two  days  more,  between  ten  and 
eleven  at  night,  arrived  at  Delden,  to  all  appearance  in  per- 
fect health.  14.  He  supped  there  very  heartily,  and  conti- 
nued his  progress  early  the  next  morning,  but  between 
eight  and  nine  ordered  his  coach  to  stop.  It  being  per- 
ceived that  one  of  his  hands  lay  motionless,  Monsieur  Fa- 
brice,  who  had  formerly  been  servant  to  the  king  of  Swe- 
den, and  who  now  attended  king  George,  attempted  to 
quicken  the  circulation,  by  chafing  it  between  his  hands. 
15.  As  this  had  no  effect,  the  surgeon,  who  followed  on 
horseback,  was  called,  and  he  also  rubbed  it  with  spirits. 
Soon  after  the  king's  tongue  began  to  swell,  and  he  had  just 
strength  enough  to  bid  them  hasten  to  Osnaburgh.  Then 
falling  insensibly  into  Fabrice's  arms,  he  never  recovered, 
but  expired  about  eleven  o'clock  the  next  morning,  in  the 
sixty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirteenth  of  his  reign 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  South  Sea  scheme  ? 

2.  Explain  the  nature  of  it. 

3.  What  proposition  was  made  to  the  ministry  ? 

4.  What  were  the  terms  ? 

5.  What  part  of  the  scheme  wasfull  of  fraud  and  ruin  ? 

6.  What  success  attended  it  ? 

8.  How  were  the  principal  delinquents  punished  ? 

9.  What  persons  were  now  seized  as  obnoxious  to  government  ? 

10.  On  what  charge  was  the  earl  of  Macclesfield  impeached  ? 

11.  Relate  the  particulars  of  his  trial. 

12.  What  was  now  the  state  of  the  nation  ? 

13.  About  what  time  did  the  king  prepare  to  visit  his  electoral  dominions  1 

14.  What  happened  on  his  progress  thither  ? 

15.  In  what  manner  did  the  king  die  ?  and  what  was  his  age  ? 


GEORGE    II. 


317 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  a.d. 

errant  XI 1700 

'nnocent  XIII 1721 

Benedict  XIII 1724 

Emperor  of  Germany. 
Charles  VI.......   1711 

Emperor  of  the  Turks. 
\chmetIII 1703 

Emperor  of  Russia. 
Peter  the  Great,  first 
emperor 1722 


Empress  of  Russia. 

A.D. 

Catherine  1 1725 

Kings  of  France. 

Louis  XIV 1643 

Louis  XV 1715 

King  of  Spain. 
Philip  V 1700 

King  of  Portugal. 
JohnV :....  1707} 

EMINENT  PERSONS. 


King  of  Denmark. 

A.D. 

Frederick  IV 1699 

King  and  Queen  of 
Sweden. 

Charles  XII 1697 

Utricia  Leonora...    HIS 

King  of  Prussia. 
Frederic  II 171? 


Sir  William  Windham.   Sir  Robert  Walpole.    William  Pulteney.   Francis, 
bishop  Atterbury.    John,  lord  Hervey.    John  Perceval,  earl  of  Egmont, 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 


Born  1683.    Died  October  35, 


GEORGE    II. 

1760.    Began  to  reign  June  II,  1727. 
33^  years. 

SECTION  I. 


Reigned 


The  royal  sire  to  realms  of  bliss  removed, 
<Like  the  famed  phoenix)  from  his  pyre  shall  spring 

Successive  Georges,  gracious  and  beloved, 
And  good  aud  glorious  as  the  parent  king. — Cunningham. 

1.  (A.D.  1727.)  Upon  the  death  of  George  the  First,  his 
son  George  the  Second  came  to  the  crown ;  a  man  of  infe- 
rior abilities  to  the  late  king,  and  strongly  biased  with  a 
partiality  to  his  dominions  on  the  continent.  The  chief 
person,  and  he  who  shortly  after  engrossed  the  greatest 
share  of  power  under  him,  was  sir  Robert  Walpole,  who 
had  risen  from  low  beginnings,  through  two  successive 
reigns,  into  great  estimation*.  2.  He  was  considered  as  a 
martyr  to  his  cause  in  the  reign  of  queen  Anne  ;  and  when 
the  tory  party  could  no  longer  oppress  him,  he  still  pre- 
served that  hatred  against  them  with  which  he  set  out.  To 
defend  the  declining  prerogative  of  the  crown  might,  per- 
haps, have  been  the  first  object  of  his  attention ;  but  soon 
after,  those  very  measures  by  which  he  pretended  to  secure 
it,  proved  the  most  effectual  means  to  lessen  it.  By  cor- 
rupting the  house  of  commons,  he  increased  their  riches 
2d2 


318  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

and  power ;  and  they  were  not  averse  to  voting  away  those 
millions  which  he  permitted  them  so  liberally  to  share. 

3.  As  such  a  tendency  in  him  naturally  produced  opposi- 
tion, he  was  possessed  of  a  most  phlegmatic  insensibility  to 
reproach,  and  a  calm  dispassionate  manner  of  reasoning 
upon  such  topics  as  he  desired  should  be  believed.  His 
discourse  was  fluent,  but  without  dignity,  and  his  manner 
convincing,  from  its  apparent  want  of  art. 

4.  The  Spaniards  were  the  first  nation  who  showed  the 
futility  of  the  treaties  of  thj  former  reign  to  bind,  when  any 
advantage  was  to  be  proceed  by  infraction.  The  people 
of  our  West  India  Islands  had  long  carried  on  an  illicit 
trade  with  the  subjects  of  Spain  upon  the  continent,  but 
whenever  detected,  were  rigorously  punished,  and  their 
cargoes  confiscated  to  the  crown.  5.  In  this  temerity  of 
adventure,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  vigilance  of  pursuit 
and  punishment  on  the  other,  it  must  often  have  happened 
that  the  innocent  must  suffer  with  the  guilty,  and  many 
complaints  were  made,  perhaps  founded  in  justice,  that  the 
English  merchants  were  plundered  by  the  Spanish  king's 
vessels  upon  the  southern  coast  of  America,  as  if  they  had 
been  pirates. 

6.  The  English  ministry,  unwilling  to  credit  every  report 
which  was  inflamed  by  resentment,  or  urged  by  avarice, 
expected  to  remedy  the  evils  complained  of  by  their  favourite 
system  of  treaty,  and  in  the  mean  time  promised  the  nation 
redress.  At  length,  however,  the  complaints  became  more 
general,  and  the  merchants  remonstrated  by  petition  to  the 
house  of  commons,  who  entered  into  a  deliberation  on  the 
subject.  7.  They  examined  the  evidence  of  several  who 
had  been  unjustly  seized,  and  treated  with  great  cruelty. 
One  man,  the  master  of  a  trading  vessel,  had  been  used  by 
the  Spaniards  in  a  most  shocking  manner  ;  he  gave  in  his 
evidence  with  great  precision,  informed  the  house  of  the 
manner  they  had  plundered  and  stripped  him,  of  their  cut- 
ting off  his  ears,  and  their  preparing  to  put  him  to  death. 
"  I  then  looked  up,"  said  he,  "  to  my  God  for  pardon,  and 
to  my  country  for  revenge." 

8.  These  accounts  raised  a  flame  among  the  people, 
whicn  it  was  neither  the  minister's  interest  nor  perhaps  that 
of  the  nation  to  indulge  ;  new  negotiations  were  set  on 
foot,  and  new  mediators  offered  their  interposition.  A  treaty 
was  signed  at  Vienna,  between  the  emperor,  the  king  of 
Great  Britain,   and  the  king  of  Spain,  which  settled   the 


GEORGE    II.  319 

peace  of  Europe  upon  its  former  footing,  and  put  off  the 
threatening  war  for  a  time.  9.  By  this  treaty  the  king  of 
England  conceived  hopes  that  all  war  would  be  at  an  end. 
Don  Carlos,  upon  the  death  of  the  duke  of  Parma,  was,  by 
the  assistance  of  an  English  fleet,  put  in  peaceable  posses- 
sion of  Parma  and  Placentia,  while  six  thousand  Spaniards 
were  quietly  admitted,  and  quartered  in  the  dutchy  of  Tus- 
cany, to  secure  for  him  the  reversion  of  that  dukedom 

10.  An  interval  of  peace  succeeded,  in  which  nothing 
remarkable  happened,  and  scarcely  any  contest  ensued,  ex- 
cept in  the  British  parliament,  where  the  disputes  between 
the  court  and  country  party  were  carried  on  with  unceasing 
animosity. 

11.  (A.D.  1731.)  A  society  of  men,  in  this  interested 
age  of  seeming  benevolence,  had  united  themselves  into  a 
company,  by  the  name  of  the  Charitable  Corporation  ;  and 
their  professed  intention  was  to  lend  money  at  legal  interest 
to  the  poor,  upon  small  pledges,  and  to  persons  of  higher 
rank  upon  proper  security.  Their  capital  was  at  first  limited 
to  thirty  thousand  pounds,  but  they  afterwards  increased  it 
to  six  hundred  thousand.  12.  This  money  was  supplied 
by  subscription,  and  the  care  of  conducting  the  capital  was 
intrusted  in  a  proper  number  of  directors,  This  company 
having  continued  for  more  than  twenty  years,  the  cashier, 
George  Robinson,  member  for  Marlow,  and  the  warehouse- 
keeper,  John  Thompson,  disappeared  in  one  day.  Five 
hundred  thousand  pounds  of  capital  was  found  to  be  sunk 
and  embezzled  by  means  which  the  proprietors  could  not 
discover.  13.  They,  therefore,  in  a  petition,  represented 
to  the  house  the  manner  in  which  they  had  been  defrauded, 
and  the  distress  to  which  many  of  the  petitioners  were  re- 
duced. A  secret  committee  being  appointed  to  examine 
into  this  grievance,  a  most  iniquitous  scene  of  fraud  was 
di-scovered,  which  had  been  carried  on  by  Robinson  and 
Thompson,  in  concert  with  some  of  the  directors,  fbr  em 
bezzling  the  capital,  and  cheating  the  proprietors.  Many 
persons  of  rank  and  quality  were  concerned  in  this  infamous 
conspiracy  ;  and  even  some  of  the  first  characters  in  the 
nation  did  not  escape  censure.  14.  A  spirit  of  avarice  and 
rapacity  infected  every  rank  of  life  about  this  time  :  no  less 
than  six  members  of  parliament  were  expelled  for  the  most 
sordid  acts  of  knavery.  Sir  Robert  Sutton,  sir  Archibald 
Giant,  and  George  Robinson,  for  their  frauds  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Charitable  Corporation  scheme  ;    Dennis  Bond 


320  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

and  Serjeant  Birch,  for  a  fraudulent  sale  of  the  late  unfortu 
nate  earl  of  Derwentwater's  large  estate ;  and,  lastly,  John 
Ward,  of  Hackney,  for  forgery.  15.  Luxury  had  given 
birth  to  prodigality,  and  that  was  the  parent  of  the  meanest 
arts  of  peculation.  It  was  asserted  in  the  house  of  lords, 
at  that  time,  that  not  one  shilling  of  the  forfeited  estates  was 
ever  applied  to  the  service  of  the  public,  but  became  the 
reward  of  fraud  and  venality. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  By  whom  was  George  the  First  succeeded  ? 

Who  engrossed  the  greatest  share  of  power  under  him  ? 

2,  3.  What  measures  did  Walpole  pursue?  what  was  his  character? 
4,  5.  Under  what  circumstances  did  the  dispute  with  Spain  originate  ? 

6.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  English  ministry  ? 

7.  Relate  the  evidence  of  one  who  had  been  treated  with  great  cruelty  by 

the  Spaniards. 

8.  What  for  a  time  prevented  the  threatening  war  ? 

10.  In  the  interval  of  peace  did  any  thing  remarkable  happen  ? 
1  1 .  What  was  the  origin  of  the  Charitable  Corporation  ? 

12.  By  whom  was  its  capital  embezzled  ? 

13.  What  followed  the  detection  of  this  fraud  ? 

14.  What  members  of  parliament  were  expelled  for  the  most  sordid  acts  of 

kna/ery  ? 

1 5.  What  remarkable  assertion  was  made  in  the  house  of  lords  at  this  time  ? 


SECTION  II. 


Of  Spain  dissatisfied  once  more  we  tell ; 

On  England's  triumphs,  too,  the  muse  might  dwell 

And  sing  how  Vernon  fought  and  Porto  Bello  fell.—  Dibdi 

1.  (A.  D.  1732.)  A  scheme,  set  on  foot  by  sir  Robert 
Walpole,  soon  after  engrossed  the  attention  of  the  public, 
which  was  to  fix  a  general  excise.  The  minister  introduced 
it  into  the  house,  by  going  into  detail  of  the  frauds  practised 
by  the  factors  in  London,  who  were  employed  by  the  Ame- 
rican planters  in  selling  their  tobacco.  2.  To  prevent  these 
frauds,  he  proposed,  that,  instead  of  having  the  custom  levied 
in  the  usual  manner  upon  tobacco,  all  hereafter  to  be  imported 
should  be  lodged  in  warehouses  appointed  for  that  purpose 
by  the  officers  of  the  crown ;  that  it  should  from  thence  be 
sold,  upon  paying  the  duty  of  fourpence  a  pound,  when  the 
proprietor  found  a  purchaser.  3.  This  proposal  raised  a 
violent  ferment,  not  less  within  doors  than  without.  It  was 
asserted  that  it  would  expose  the  factors  to  such  hardships, 
that  they  would  not  be  able  to  continue  their  trade,  and  that 


GEORGE   II.  321 

such  a  scheme  would  not  even  prevent  the  frauds  complained 
of.  It  was  added,  that  a  number  of  additional  excisemen 
and  warehouse-keepers  would  thus  be  employed,  which 
would  at  once  render  the  ministry  formidable,  and  the  people 
dependent.  4.  Such  were  the  arguments  made  use  of  to 
stir  up  the  citizens  to  oppose  this  law  :  arguments  rather 
specious  than  solid,  since,  with  all  its  disadvantages,  the  tax 
upon  tobacco  would  thus  be  more  safely  and  expeditiously 
collected,  and  the  avenues  to  numberless  frauds  would  be 
shut  up.  The  people,  however,  were  raised  into  such  a  fer- 
ment, that  the  parliament-house  was  surrounded  with  mul- 
titudes, who  intimidated  the  ministry,  and  compelled  them 
to  drop  the  design.  The  miscarriage  of  the  bill  was  cele- 
brated with  public  rejoicings  in  London  and  Westminster, 
and  the  minister  was  burned  in  effigy  by  the  populace  of 
London. 

5.  Ever  since  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  the  Spaniards  in 
America  had  insulted  and  distressed  the  commerce  of  Great 
Britain,  and  the  British  merchants  had  attempted  to  carry  on 
an  illicit  trade  in  their  dominions.  A  right  which  the  Eng- 
lish merchants  claimed  by  treaty,  of  cutting  logwood  in  the 
bay  of  Campeachy,  gave  them  frequent  opportunities  of 
pushing  in  contraband  commodities  upon  the  continent ;  so 
that,  to  suppress  the  evil,  the  Spaniards  were  resolved  to  an- 
nihilate the  claim.  6.  This  liberty  of  cutting  logwood  had 
often  been  acknowledged,  but  never  clearly  ascertained  ;  in 
all  former  treaties  it  was  considered  as  an  object  of  too  little 
importance  to  make  a  separate  article  in  any  negotiation. 
The  Spanish  vessels  appointed  for  protecting  the  coast  con- 
tinued their  severities  upon  the  English  ;  many  of  the  sub- 
jects of  Britain  were  sent  to  dig  in  the  mines  of  Potosi,  and 
deprived  of  all  means  of  conveying  their  complaints  to  those 
who  might  send  them  redress.  7.  One  remonstrance  fol- 
lowed another  to  the  court  of  Madrid  of  this  violation  of 
treaty ;  but  the  only  answers  given  were  promises  of  inquiry, 
which  produced  no  reformation.  Our  merchants  complained 
loudly  of  these  outrages,  but  the  ministers  vainly  expected 
from  negotiations  that  redress  which  was  only  to  be  obtained 
by  arms. 

8.  The  fears  discovered  by  the  court  of  Great  Britain 
only  served  to  increase  the  insolence  of  the  enemy ;  and 
their  guard-ships  continued  to  seize  not  only  all  the  guilty, 
but  the  innocent,  whom  they  found  sailing  along  the  Spanish 
main.      At  last,  however,  the  complaints  of  the  English 


322  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

merchants  were  loud  enough  to  interest  cho  house  of  com- 
mons ;  their  letters  and  memorials  were  produced,  and  their 
grievances  enforced  by  council  at  the  bar  of  the  house.  9.  It 
was  soon  found  that  the  money  which  rfpain  had  agreed  to 
pay  to  the  court  of  Great  Britain  was  withheld,  and  no  rea- 
son assigned  for  the  delay.  The  minister,  therefore,  to  gratify 
the  general  ardour,  and  to  atone  for  his  former  deficiencies, 
assured  the  house  that  he  would  put  the  nation  in  a  condition 
for  war.  Soon  after,  letters  of  reprisal  were  granted  against 
the  Spaniards  ;  and  this  being  on  both  sides  considered  as 
an  actual  commencement  of  hostilities,  both  diligently  set 
forward  their  armaments  by  sea  and  land.  10.  In  this 
threatening  situation,  the  French  minister  at  the  Hague  de- 
clared that  his  master  was  obliged  by  treaty  to  assist  the 
king  of  Spain  ;  so  that  the  alliances,  which  but  twenty  years 
before  had  taken  place,  were  now  quite  reversed.  At  that 
time  France  and  England  were  combined  against  Spain  ;  at 
present  France  and  Spain  were  united  against  England  ; 
such  little  hopes  can  statesmen  place  upon  the  firmest  trea- 
ties, where  there  is  no  superior  power  to  compel  the  observ- 
ance. 

11.  (A.  D.  1739.)  A  rupture  between  England  and  Spain 
being  now  become  unavoidable,  the  people,  who  had  long 
clamoured  for  war,  began  to  feel  uncommon  alacrity  at  its 
approach ;  and  the  ministry,  finding  it  inevitable,  began  to 
be  as  earnest  in  preparation.  Orders  were  issued  for  aug- 
menting the  land  forces,  and  raising  a  body  of  marines. 
War  was  declared  with  proper  solemnity,  and  soon  after 
two  rich  Spanish  prizes  were  taken  in  the  Mediterranean. 
12.  Admiral  Vernon,  a  man  of  more  courage  than  expe- 
rience, of  more  confidence  than  skill,  was  sent  as  comman- 
der of  a  fleet  into  the  West  Indies,  to  distress  the  enemy  in 
that  part  of  the  globe.  He  had  asserted  in  the  house  of 
commons,  that  Porto  Bello,  a  fort  and  harbour  in  South 
America,  could  be  easily  destroyed,  and  that  he  himself 
would  undertake  to  reduce  it  with  six  ships  only.  13.  A 
project  which  appeared  so  wild  and  impossible  was  ridiculed 
by  the  ministry  ;  but  as  he  still  insisted  upon  the  proposal, 
they  complied  with  his  request,  hoping  that  his  want  of  suc- 
cess might  repress  the  confidence  of  his  party.  In  this,  how- 
ever, they  were  disappointed;  for  with  six  ships  only  he 
attacked  and  demolished  all  the  fortifications  of  the  place, 
and  came  away  victorious  with  scarcely  the  loss  of  a  man. 
This  victory  was  magnified  at  home  in  all  the  strains  of 


GEORGE    II.  323 

panegyric,  and  the  triumph  was  far  superior  to  the  value  of 
the  conquest. 

14.  While  vigorous  preparations  were  making  in  other 
departments,  a  squadron  of  ships  was  equipped  for  distress- 
ing the  enemy  in  the  South  Seas,  the  command  of  which 
was  given  to  commodore  Anson.  This  fleet  was  destined  to 
sail  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and,  steering  northwards 
along  the  coast  of  Chili  and  Peru,  to  co-operate  occasionally 
with  admiral  Vernon  across  the  isthmus  of  Darien.  The 
delays  and  mistakes  of  the  ministry  frustrated  that  part  of 
the  scheme,  which  was  originally  well  laid.  15.  When  it 
was  too  late  in  the  season,  the  commodore  set  out  with  five 
ships  of  the  line,  a  frigate,  and  two  smaller  ships,  with  about 
fourteen  hundred  men.  Having  reached  the  coast  of  Brazil, 
he  refreshed  his  men  for  some  time  on  the  island  of  St. 
Catherine,  a  spot  that  enjoys  all  the  fruitfulness  and  verdure 
of  the  luxurious  tropical  climate.  From  thence  he  steered 
downward  into  the  cold  and  tempestuous  regions  of  the  south ; 
and  in  about  five  months  after,  meeting  a  terrible  tempest, 
he  doubled  Cape  Horn.  16.  By  this  time  his  fleet  was  dis- 
persed, and  his  crew  deplorably  disabled  with  the  scurvy ; 
so  that  with  much  difficulty  he  gained  the  delightful  island 
of  Juan  Fernandez.  There  he  was  joined  by  one  ship,  and 
a  vessel  of  seven  guns.  From  thence  advancing  northward, 
he  landed  on  the  coast  of  Chili,  and  attacked  the  city  of 
Paita  by  night.  17.  In  this  bold  attempt  he  made  no  use 
of  his  shipping,  nor  even  disembarked  all  his  men  ;  a  few 
soldiers,  favoured  by  darkness,  sufficed  to  fill  the  whole 
town  with  terror  and  confusion.  The  governor  of  the  gar- 
rison, and  the  inhabitants,  fled  on  all  sides  ;  accustomed  to 
be  severe,  they  expected  severity.  In  the  mean  time  a 
small  body  of  the  English  kept  possession  of  the  town  fo? 
three  days,  stripping  it  of  treasures  and  merchandise  to  a 
considerable  amount,  and  then  setting  it  on  fire. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  scheme  now  engrossed  the  public  attention  ? 

2.  How  did  the  minister  propose  to  effect  it  ? 

3.  What  were  the  arguments  used  in  opposition  to  this  measure  ? 

4.  What  was  their  success  ? 

5.  From  what  cause  originated  the  dispute  with  Spain  ? 

6.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  Spaniards  ? 

7.  What  measures  were  taken  by  the  English  merchants  ? 

8.  What  continued  to  be  the  conduct  of  the  enemy  ? 

9.  What  induced  the  minister  to  gratify  the  general  ardour  of  the  nation 
In  what  manner  did  the  war  commence  ? 


324  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

10.  Under  what  pretence  did  France  assist  Spain  ? 

11.  What  was  the  feeling  of  the  people  at  the  approach  of  the  war? 

12.  What  did  admiral  Vernon  assert  in  the  house  of  commons  ? 

13.  Relate  the  success  of  this  expedition. 

14 — 17.  Describe  the  proceedings  of  the  squadron  under  commodore  Anson, 
from  its  sailing  to  the  talcing  of  Paita. 


SECTION  III. 

But  what  are  wreaths  in  battle  won  ? 

And  what  the  tribute  of  amaze 

Which  man  too  oft  mistaken  pays 

To  the  vain  idol  shrine  of  false  renown.  —  Anon. 


1.  (A.D.  1740.)  Soon  after,  this  small  squadron  advanced 
as  far  as  Panama,  situated  on  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  on  the 
western  side  of  the  great  American  continent.  The  com- 
modore now  placed  all  his  hopes  in  taking  one  of  those 
valuable  Spanish  ships  which  trade  from  the  Philippine 
islands  to  Mexico.  Not  above  one  or  two  at  the  most  of 
these  immensely  rich  ships  went  from  one  continent  to  the 
other  in  a  year ;  they  were,  therefore,  very  large,  in  order 
to  carry  a  sufficiency  of  treasure,  and  proportionably  strong 
to  defend  it.  2.  In  hopes  of  meeting  with  one  of  these,  the 
commodore,  with  his  little  fleet,  traversed  the  Pacific  Ocean ; 
but  the  scurvy  once  more  visiting  his  crew,  several  of  his 
men  died,  and  almost  all  were  disabled.  In  this  exigence, 
having  brought  all  his  men  into  one  vessel,  and  set  fire  to 
another,  he  steered  for  the  island  of  Tinian,  which  lies 
about  halfway  between  the  new  world  and  the  old.  3.  In 
this  charming  abode  he  continued  for  some  time,  till  his 
men  recovered  their  health,  and  his  ship  was  refitted  for 
sailing. 

Thus  refitted,  he  set  forward  for  China,  where  he  laid  in 
proper  stores  for  once  more  traversing  back  that  immense 
ocean,  in  which  he  had  before  suffered  such  incredible  dif- 
ficulties. 4.  Having  accordingly  taken  some  Dutch  and 
Indian  sailors  on  board,  he  again  steered  towards  America, 
and  at  length,  after  various  toils,  discovered  the  Spanish  gal- 
leon he  had  so  long  and  ardently  expected.  This  vessel 
was  built  as  well  for  the  purpose  of  war  as  for  merchandise. 
It  mounted  sixty  guns  and  five  hundred  men,  while  the 
crew  of  the  commodore  did  not  amount  to  half  that  number. 
5.  However,  the  victory  was  on  the  side  of  the  English, 
and  they  returned  home  with  their  prize,  which  was  esti- 
mated at  three  hundred  and  thirteen  thousand  pounds  ster- 
ling, while  the  different  captures  that  had  been  made  before 
amounted  to  as  much  more.     Thus,  after  a  voyage  of  three 


GEORGE    II.  '        325 

years,  conducted  with  astonishing  perseverance  and  intre- 
pidity, the  public  sustained  the  loss  of  a  noble  fleet,  but  a 
few  individuals  became  possessed  of  immense  riches. 

6.  In  the  mean  time  the  English  conducted  other  opera- 
tions against  the  enemy  with  amazing  activity.  When 
Anson  set  out,  it  was  with  a  design  of  acting  a  subordinate 
part  to  a  formidable  armament  designed  for  the  coast  of  New 
Spain,  consisting  of  twenty-nine  ships  of  the  line,  and  almost 
an  equal  number  of  frigates,  furnished  with  all  kinds  of 
warlike  stores,  nearly  fifteen  thousand  seamen,  and  as 
many  land-forces.  Never  was  a  fleet  more  completely 
equipped,  nor  never  had  the  nation  more  sanguine  hopes  of 
success.  Lord  Cathcart  was  appointed  to  command  the 
land-forces ;  but  he  dying  on  the  passage,  the  command 
devolved  upon  general  Wentworth,  whose  abilities  were 
supposed  to  be  unequal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him. 

7.  When  the  forces  were  landed  at  Carthagena,  they 
erected  a  battery,  with  which  they  made  a  breach  in  the 
principal  fort,  while  Vernon,  who  commanded  the  fleet, 
sent  a  number  of  ships  into  the  harbour  to  divide  the  fire  of 
the  enemy,  and  to  co-operate  with  the  army  on  shore.  8. 
The  breach  being  deemed  practicable,  a  body  of  troops 
were  commanded  to  storm  ;  but  the  Spaniards  deserted  the 
forts,  which,  if  possessed  of  courage,  they  might  have  de- 
fended with  success.  The  troops,  upon  gaining  this  advan- 
tage, were  advanced  a  good  deal  nearer  the  city  ;  but  there 
they  met  a  much  greater  opposition  than  they  had  expected. 

9.  It  was  found,  or  at  least  asserted,  that  the  fleet  could  not 
lie  near  enough  to  batter  the  town,  and  that  nothing  re- 
mained but  to  attempt  one  of  the  forts  by  scaling.  The 
leaders  of  the  fleet  and  the  army  began  mutually  to  accuse 
each  other,  each  asserting  the  probability  of  what  the  other 
denied.  At  length,  Wentworth,  stimulated  by  the  admiral's 
reproach,  resolved  to  try  the  dangerous  experiment,  and 
ordered  that  fort  St.  Lazare  should  be  attempted  by  scalade. 

10.  Nothing  could  be  more  unfortunate  than  this  undertak- 
ing ;  the  forces  marching  up  to  the  attack,  the  guides  were 
slain,  and  they  mistook  their  way.  Instead  of  attempting 
the  weakest  part  of  the  fort,  they  advanced  to  where  it 
was  the  strongest,  and  where  they  were  exposed  to  the  fire 
of  the  town.  Colonel  Grant,  who  commanded  the  grena- 
diers, was  killed  in  the  beginning.  11.  Soon  after  it  was 
found  that  their  scaling  ladders  were  too  short ;  the  officers 
were  perplexed  for  want  of  orders,  and  the  troops  stood  ( x- 

2E 


326      *  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

posed  to  the  whole  fire  of  the  enemy,  without  knowing  how 
to  proceed.  After  bearing  a  dreadful  fire  for  some  hours 
with  great  intrepidity,  they  at  length  retreated,  leaving  six 
hundred  men  dead  on  the  spot.  12.  The  terrors  of  the 
climate  soon  began  to  be  more  dreadful  than  those  of  war 
the  rainy  season  came  on  with  such  violence,  that  it  was 
impossible  for  the  troops  to  continue  encamped ;  and  the 
mortality  of  the  season  now  began  to  attack  them  in  all  its 
frightful  varieties.  To  these  calamities,  sufficient  to  quell 
any  enterprise,  was  added  the  dissension  between  the  land 
and  sea  commanders,  who  blamed  each  other  for  every 
failure,  and  became  frantic  with  mutual  recrimination.  They 
only,  therefore,  at  last,  could  be  brought  to  agree  in  one 
mortifying  measure,  which  was  to  re-embark  the  troops, 
and  withdraw  them  as  quickly  as  possible  from  this  scene  of 
slaughter  and  contagion. 

13.  This  fatal  miscarriage,  which  tarnished  the  British 
glory,  was  no  sooner  known  in  England,  than  the  kingdom 
was  filled  with  murmurs  and  discontent.  The  loudest  burst 
of  indignation  was  directed  at  the  minister;  and  they  who 
once  praised  him  for  success  he  did  not  merit,  condemned 
him  now  for  a  failure  of  which  he  was  guiltless. 

14.  (A.  D.  1741.)  The  minister,  finding  the  indignation 
of  the  house  of  commons  turned  against  him,  tried  every  art 
to  break  that  confederacy,  which  he  knew  he  had  not 
strength  to  oppose.  The  resentment  of  the  people  had  been 
raised  against  him  to  an  extravagant  height ;  and  their  lead- 
ers taught  them  to  expect  very  signal  justice  on  their  sup- 
posed oppressor.  At  length,  finding  his  post  untenable,  he 
declared  he  would  never  sit  more  in  that  house  ;  the  next 
day  the  king  adjourned  both  houses  of  parliament  for  a  few 
days,  and  in  the  interim  sir  Robert  Walpole  was  created  earl 
of  Orford,  and  resigned  all  his  employments. 

15.  But  the  pleasure  of  his  defeat  was  but  of  short  dura- 
tion ;  it  soon  appeared  that  those  who  declared  most  loudly 
for  the  liberty  of  the  people,  had  adopted  new  measures 
with  their  new  employments.  The  new  converts  were 
branded  as  betrayers  of  the  interests  of  their  country ;  but 
particularly  the  resentment  of  the  people  fell  upon  Pulteney, 
earl  of  Bath,  who  had  long  declaimed  against  that  very 
conduct  he  now  seemed  earnest  to  pursue.  16.  He  had 
been  the  idol  of  the  people,  and  considered  as  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  champions  that  had  ever  defended  the  cause 
of  freedom;  but  allured,   perhaps,  with  the  hope  of  go- 


GEORGE    II.  327 

verning  in  Walpole's  place,  he  was  contented  to  give  up  his 
popularity  for  ambition.  The  king,  however,  treated  him 
with  that  neglect  which  he  merited ;  he  was  laid  aside  for 
life,  and  continued  a  wretched  survivor  of  all  his  formei 
importance. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1 — 4.  Relate  briefly  the  further  proceedings  of  the  squadron  under  comma 
dore  Anson  till  the  capture  of  the  rich  Spanish  galleon. 

5.  What  was  the  result  of  this  enterprise  ? 

6.  What  other  operations  were  undertaken  ? 

7 — 9.  Describe  the  particulars  of  the  siege  of  Carthagena. 
10,  11.  What  causes  rendered  it  unsuccessful  ? 

12.  What  was  then  the  situation  of  the  English  troops? 

13.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this  miscarriage? 

14.  What  was  the  minister's  conduct? 

15.  Did  the  conduct  of  his  successors  render  them  favourites  of  the  people  t 
On  whom  particularly  did  the  public  resentment  fall  ? 

16.  In  what  light  had  Pulteney  formerly  been  considered  by  the  people  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

By  turns  each  army  gains  the  vantage  ground, 

The  cannons  roar,  and  carnage  spreads  around.  —  Duncan. 

2.  (A.  D.  1740.)  The  emperor  dying  in  the  year  1740, 
the  French  began  to  think  this  a  favourable  opportunity  for 
exerting  their  ambition  once  more.  Regardless  of  treaties, 
particularly  that  called  the  Pragmatic  sanction,  by  which 
the  reversion  of  all  the  late  emperor's  dominions  was  set- 
tled upon  his  daughter,  they  caused  the  elector  of  Bavaria 
to  be  crowned  emperor.  Thus  the  queen  of  Hungary, 
daughter  to  Charles  the  Sixth,  descended  from  an  illustrious 
line  of  emperors,  saw  herself  stripped  of  her  inheritance, 
and  left  for  a  whole  year  deserted  by  all  Europe,  and  without 
any  hopes  of  succour.  2.  She  had  scarcely  closed  her 
father's  eyes,  when  she  lost  Silesia,  by  an  irruption  of  the 
young  king  of  Prussia,  who  seized  the  opportunity  of  her 
defenceless  state  to  renew  his  ancient  pretensions  to  that 
province,  of  which  it  must  be  owned  his  ancestors  had  been 
unjustly  deprived.  France,  Saxony,  and  Bavaria  attacked 
the  rest  of  her  dominions  ;  England  was  the  only  ally  that 
seemed  willing  to  espouse  her  helpless  condition.  Sardinia 
and  Holland  soon  after  came  to  her  assistance,  and  last  of  all 
Russia  acceded  to  a  union  in  her  favour. 

3.  It  may  now  be  demanded  what  cause  Britain  had  to 
intermeddle  in  those  continental  schemes.  It  can  only  be 
answered,  that  the  interests  of  Hanover,  and  the  security 


328  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

of  that  electorate,  depended  upon  nicely  balancing  the  dif- 
ferent interests  of  the  empire ;  and  the  English  ministry 
were  willing  to  gratify  the  king. 

4.  Accordingly  the  king  sent  a  body  of  English  forces 
into  the  Netherlands,  which  he  had  augmented  by  sixteen 
thousand  Hanoverians,  to  make  a  diversion  upon  the  do- 
minions of  France,  in  the  queen  of  Hungary's  favour ;  and 
by  the  assistance  of  these  the  queen  of  Hungary  soon  began 
to  turn  the  scale  of  victory  on  her  side.  5.  The  French 
were  driven  out  of  Bohemia.  Her  general,  prince  Charles, 
at  the  head  of  a  large  army,  invaded  the  dominions  of  Ba- 
varia. Her  rival,  the  nominal  emperor,  was  obliged  to  fly 
before  her ;  and  being  abandoned  by  his  allies,  and  stripped 
of  even  his  hereditary  dominions,  retired  to  Frankfort,  where 
he  lived  in  obscurity. 

6.  (A.  D.  1743.)  The  French,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
junction  of  the  Austrian  and  British  forces,  assembled  an 
army  of  sixty  thousand  men  on  the  river  Mayne  under  the 
command  of  marshal  Noailles,  who  posted  his  troops  upon 
the  east  side  of  that  river.  The  British  forces,  to  the  num- 
ber of  forty  thousand,  pushed  forward  on  the  other  side  into 
a  country  where  they  found  themselves  entirely  destitute  of 
provisions,  the  French  having  cut  off  all  means  of  their 
being  supplied.  7.  The  king  of  England  arrived  at  the 
camp  while  his  army  was  in  this  deplorable  situation ; 
wherefore  he  resolved  to  penetrate  forward  to  join  twelve 
thousand  Hanoverians  and  Hessians,  who  had  reached 
Hanau.  With  this  view  he  decamped  ;  but  before  his  army 
had  reached  three  leagues,  he  found  the  enemy  had  enclosed 
him  on  every  side,  near  a  village  called  Dettingen. 

8.  Nothing  now  presented  themselves  but  the  most  mor- 
tifying prospects.  If  he  fought  the  enemy,  it  must  be  at  the 
greatest  disadvantage ;  if  he  continued  inactive,  there  was  a 
certainty  of  being  starved ;  and  a  retreat  for  all  was  impos- 
sible. The  impetuosity  of  the  French  troops  saved  his 
whole  army.  They  passed  a  defile,  which  they  should 
have  been  contented  to  guard :  and,  under  the  command  of 
the  duke  of  Grammont,  their  horse  charged  the  English 
foot  with  great  fury.  They  were  received  with  intrepidity 
and  resolution  ;  so  that  they  were  obliged  to  give  way,  and 
repass  the  Mayne  with  precipitation,  with  the  loss  of  five 
thousand  men. 

9.  Meanwhile  the  French  went  on  with  vigour  on  every 
side.   They  projected  an  invasion  of  England ;  and  Charles, 


GEORGE    II.  329 

the  son  of  the  old  pretender,  departed  from  Rome,  in  the 
disguise  of  a  Spanish  courier,  for  Paris,  where  he  had  an 
audience  of  the  French  king. 

10.  The  family  had  long  been  the  dupes  of  France  ;  but 
it  was  thought  at  present  there  were  serious  resolutions 
formed  in  their  favour.  The  troops  destined  for  the  expedi- 
tion amounted  to  fifteen  thousand  men ;  preparations  were 
made  for  embarking  them  at  Dunkirk,  and  some  of  the  ports 
nearest  to  England,  under  the  eye  of  the  young  pretender. 
11.  The  duke  de  Roquefeuille,  with  twenty  ships  of  the 
line,  was  to  see  them  safely  landed  in  England  ;  and  the  fa- 
mous count  Saxe  was  to  command  them  when  put  on  shore. 
But  the  whole  project  was  disconcerted  by  the  appearance 
of  sir  John  Norris,  who,  with  a  superior  fleet,  made  up  to 
attack  them.  The  French  fleet  was  thus  obliged  to  put 
back  ;  a  very  hard  gale  of  wind  damaged  their  transports 
beyond  redress  ;  and  the  French,  now  frustrated  in  their 
scheme  of  a  sudden  descent,  thought  fit  openly  to  declare  war. 

12.  The  French,  therefore,  entered  upon  the  war  with 
great  alacrity.  They  besieged  Fribourg,  and  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  succeeding  campaign  invested  the  strong  city  of 
Tournay.  Although  the  allies  were  inferior  in  number,  and 
although  commanded  by  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  yet  they 
resolved,  if  possible,  to  save  the  city  by  hazarding  a  battle. 
They  accordingly  marched  against  the  enemy,  and  took  posi 
in  sight  of  the  French,  who  were  encamped  on  an  eminence, 
the  village  of  St.  Antoine  on  the  right,  a  wood  on  the  left, 
and  the  town  of  Fontenoy  before  them.  13.  This  advan- 
tageous situation  did  not  repress  the  ardour  of  the  English, 
who  began  the  attack  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and, 
pressing  forward,  bore  down  all  opposition.  They  were 
for  nearly  an  hour  victorious,  and  confident  of  success,  while 
Saxe,  a  soldier  of  fortune,  who  commanded  the  French  army, 
was  at  that  time  sick  of  the  same  disorder  of  which  he  after- 
wards died.  However,  he  was  carried  about  to  all  the  posts 
in  a  litter,  and  assured  his  attendants  that,  notwithstanding 
all  unfavourable  appearances,  the  day  was  his  own.  14, 
A  column  of  the  English,  without  any  command,  but  by 
mere  mechanical  courage,  had  advanced  upon  the  enemy's 
lines,  which,  opening,  formed  an  avenue  on  each  side  to  re- 
ceive them.  It  was  then  that  the  French  artillery  on  the 
three  sides  began  to  play  on  this  forlorn  body,  which,  though 
they  continued  for  a  long  time  unshaken,  were  obliged  at 
last  to  retreat. 

2e2 


330  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

15.  This  was  one  of  the  most  bloody  battles  that  had 
been  fought  in  this  age  ;  the  allies  left  on  the  field  nearly 
twelve  thousand  men,  and  the  French  bought  their  victory 
with  nearly  an  equal  number  of  slain. 

This  blow,  by  which  Tournay  was  taken  by  the  French, 
gave  them  such  a  manifest  superiority  all  the  rest  of  the 
campaign,  that  they  kept  the  fruits  of  their  victory  during 
the  whole  continuance  of  the  war. 


Questions  for  Examination.. 

1,  On  the  death  of  the  emperor  of  Austria,  what  was  the  conduct  of  the 

French  ? 

2.  Describe  !he  situation  of  the  emperor's  daughter. 

3.  What  cause  had  Britain  to  intermeddle  in  continental  schemes  ? 

4,  5.  With  what  success  was  Britain's  interference  attended  ? 

6 — 8.  Relate  the  circumstances  which  preceded  and  attended  the  battle  of 
Dettingen. 

9.  What  other  project  did  the  French  endeavour  to  effect  ? 
10,  11.  What  success  attended  their  measures  ? 
12.  Wbat  preceded  the  battle  of  Fontenoy  ? 
13, 14.  Relate  the  particulars  of  this  battle. 
15.  What  loss  did  each  side  experience  ? 


SECTION  V. 

But  piill  to  darken  the  dread  gloom  of  war, 

Misguided  Stuart,  drew  rebellion's  sword: 

E'en  Derby  saw  his  vaunting  banners  wave. 

And  Scottish  chieftains  hailed  him  as  their  lord. —  Valpy. 

1.  (A.D.  1745.)  But  though  bad  success  attended  the 
British  arms  by  land  and  sea,  yet  these  being  distant  evils, 
the  English  seemed  only  to  complain  from  honourable  mo- 
tives, and  murmured  at  distresses  of  which  they  had  but  a. 
very  remote  prospect.  A  civil  war  was  now  going  to  bo 
kindled  in  their  own  dominions,  which  mixed  terrors  with 
their  complaints  ;  and  which,  while  it  increased  their  per- 
plexities, only  cemented  their  union. 

2.  It  was  at  this  period  that  the  son  of  the  old  pretender 
resolved  to  make  an  effort  for  gaining  the  British  crown. 
Charles  Edward,  the  adventurer  in  question,  had  been  bred 
in  a  luxurious  court  without  partaking  of  its  effeminacy. 
He  was  enterprising  and  ambitious  ;  but,  either  from  inex- 
perience or  natural  inability,  utterly  unequal  to  the  bold  un- 
dertaking. He  was  long  flattered  by  the  rash,  the  supersti- 
tious, and  the  needy  :  he  was  taught  to  believe  that  the 
kingdom  was  ripe  for  a  revolt,  and  that  it  ctfuld  no  longer 
bear  the  immense  load  of  taxes  with  which  it  was  burdened. 
3.  Being  now,  therefore,  furnished  with  some  money,  and 


GEORGE    II.  331 

with  still  larger  promises  from  France,  who  fanned  his  am- 
bition, he  embarked  for  Scotland  on  board  a  small  frigate, 
accompanied  by  the  marquis  of  Tullibardine,  sir  Thomas 
Sheridan,  and  a  few  other  desperate  adventurers.  Thus, 
for  the  conquest  of  the  whole  British  empire,  he  only  brought 
with  him  seven  officers,  and  arms  for  two  thousand  men. 

4.  The  boldness  of  this  enterprise  astonished  all  Europe. 
It  awakened  the  fears  of  the  pusillanimous,  the  ardour  of  the 
brave,  and  the  pity  of  the  wise.  But  by  this  time  the  young 
adventurer  was  arrived  at  Perth,  where  the  unnecessary  ce- 
remony was  performed  of  proclaiming  his  father  king  of 
Great  Britain.  5.  From  thence,  descending  with  his  forces 
from  the  mountains,  they  seemed  to  gather  as  they  went  for- 
ward ;  and,  advancing  to  Edinburgh,  they  entered  that  city 
without  opposition.  There  again  the  pageantry  of  procla- 
mation was  performed  ;  and  there  he  promised  to  dissolve 
the  union,  which  was  considered  as  one  of  the  grievances 
of  the  country.  However,  the  castle  of  that  city  still  held 
out,  and  he  was  unprovided  with  cannon  to  besiege  it. 

6.  In  the  mean  time,  sir  John  Cope,  who  had  pursued 
the  rebels  through  the  Highlands,  but  had  declined  meeting 
them  in  their  descent,  being  now  reinforced  by  two  regi- 
ments of  dragoons,  resolved  to  march  towards  Edinburgh, 
and  give  the  enemy  battle.  The  young  adventurer,  whose 
forces  were  rather  superior,  though  undisciplined,  attacked 
him  near  Preston-pans,  about  twelve  miles  from  the  capital, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  put  him  and  his  troops  to  flight.  7. 
This  victory,  by  which  the  king  lost  five  hundred  men,  gave 
the  rebels  great  influence  ;  and  had  the  pretender  taken  ad- 
vantage of  the  general  consternation,  and  marched  directly 
for  England,  the  consequence  might  have  been  fatal  to  free- 
dom. But  he  was  amused  by  the  promise  of  succours  which 
never  came  ;  and  thus  induced  to  remain  at  Edinburgh,  to 
enjoy  the  triumphs  of  an  unimportant  victory,  and  to  be 
treated  as  a  monarch. 

8.  While  the  young  pretender  was  thus  trifling  away  his 
time  at  Edinburgh  (for,  in  dangerous  enterprises  delay  is  but 
defeat),  the  ministry  of  Great  Britain  took  every  precaution  to 
oppose  him  with  success.  Six  thousand  Dutch  troops,  that 
had  come  over  to  the  assistance  of  the  crown,  were  despatch- 
ed northward,  under  the  command  of  general  Wade.  The 
duke  of  Cumberland  soon  after  arrived  from  Flanders,  and 
was  followed  by  another  detachment  of  dragoons  and  in- 
fantry, well    disciplined,    ahd   inured  to   action.     Besides 


332  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

these,  volunteers  offered  in  every  part  of  the  kingdom  ;  and 
every  county  exerted  a  vigorous  spirit  of  indignation  both 
against  the  ambition,  the  religion,  and  the  allies  of  the  young 
pretender. 

9.  However,  he  had  been  bred  in  a  school  that  taught  him 
maxims  very  different  from  those  that  then  prevailed  in 
England.  Though  he  might  have  brought  civil  war,  and  all 
the  calamities  attending  it  with  him,  into  the  kingdom,  he 
had  been  taught  that  the  assertion  of  his  right  was  a  duty 
incumbent  upon  him,  and  the  altering  the  constitution,  and 
perhaps  the  religion  of  his  country,  an  object  of  laudable 
ambition.  10.  Thus  animated,  he  went  forward  with  vi- 
gour ;  and  having,  upon  frequent  consultations  with  his  offi- 
cers, come  to  a  resolution  of  making  an  irruption  into  Eng- 
land, he  entered  the  country  by  the  western  border,  and 
invested  Carlisle,  which  surrendered  in  less  than  three  days. 
He  there  found  a  considerable  quantity  of  arms,  and  there 
too  he  caused  his  father  to  be  proclaimed  king. 

11.  General  Wade,  being  apprized  of  his  progress,  ad- 
vanced across  the  country  from  the  opposite  shore  ;  but  re- 
ceiving intelligence  that  the  enemy  was  two  days'  march 
before  him,  he  retired  to  his  former  station.  The  young 
pretender,  thus  unopposed,  resolved  to  penetrate  fkrther  into 
the  kingdom,  having  received  assurances  from  France  that 
a  considerable  body  of  troops  would  be  landed  on  the  south- 
ern coasts,  to  make  a  diversion  in  his  favour.  12.  He  was 
flattered  also  with  the  hopes  of  being  joined  by  a  considera- 
ble number  of  malecontents  as  he  passed  forward,  and  that 
his  army  would  increase  on  his  march.  Accordingly,  leav- 
ing a  small  garrison  in  Carlisle,  which  he  should  rather  have 
left  defenceless,  he  advanced  to  Penrith,  marching  on  foot 
in  a  Highland  dress,  and  continued  his  irruption  till  he  came 
to  Manchester,  where  he  established  his  head-quarters. 

13.  He  was  there  joined  by  about  two  hundred  English, 
who  were  formed  into  a  regiment,  under  the  command  of  co- 
lonel Townley.  From  thence  he  pursed  his  march  to  Derby, 
intending  to  go  by  the  way  of  Chester  into  Wales,  where 
he  hoped  to  be  joined  by  a  great  number  of  followers  ;  but 
the  factions  among  his  own  chiefs  prevented  his  proceeding 
to  that  part  of  the  kingdom. 

15  He  was  by  this  time  advanced  within  a  hundred 
miles  of  the  capital,  which  was  filled  with  perplexity  and 
consternation.  Had  he  proceeded  in  his  career  with  that 
expedition  which  he  had  hitherto  used,  he  might  have  made 


GEORGE  II. 


333 


himself  master  of  the  metropolis,  where  he  would  certainly 
have  been  joined  by  a  considerable  number  of  his  well- 
wishers,  who  waited  impatiently  for  his  approach. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  was  the  situation  of  England  at  this  time? 

2.  By  whom  was  an  effort  made  to  gain  the  English  crown? 

3.  Under  what  circumstances  was  it  undertaken  ? 

5.  What  were  the  first  proceedings  of  the  pretender? 

6.  With  what  success  did  he  attack  sir  John  Cope  ? 

7.  What  were  the  consequences  of  this  victory  ? 

8.  What  precautions  were  taken  by  the  English  ministry  ? 
What  was  the  conduct  of  the  pretender? 

11.  By  whom  was  an  attempt  made  to  oppose  him  ?  and  what  was  its  re- 

sult? 

12.  To  what  places  did  he  next  proceed  ? 

13.  By  whom  was  he  joined  ?  and  whither  did  he  next  march  ? 

14.  What  might  have  been  the  result  had  he  proceeded  with  expedition  ? 


SECTION  VI. 

Ill-fated  youth  ;  Culloden's  bloody  field 

Sunk  the  vain  fabrics  of  ambition  low  ; 

Pressed  with  fitigue,  and  hunger,  long  he  roamed. 

Mid  scenes  of  danger  and  mid  sights  of  woe. —  Valpy. 

1.  (A.D.  1745.)  In  the  mean  time  the  king  resolved  to 
take  the  field  in  person.  But  he  found  safety  from  the 
discontents  which  now  began  to  prevail  in  the  pretender's 
army.  In  fact,  he  was  but  the  nominal  leader  of  his  forces  : 
as  his  generals,  the  chiefs  of  the  highland  clans,  were,  from 
their  education,  ignorant,  and  averse  to  subordination.  They 
had  from  the  beginning  began  to  embrace  opposite  systems 
of  operation,  and  to  contend  with  each  other  for  pre-emi- 
nence ;  but  they  seemed  now  unanimous  in  returning  to 
their  own  country  once  more. 

2.  The  rebels  accordingly  effected  their  retreat  to  Carlisle 
without  any  loss,  and  from  thence  crossed  the  rivers  Eden 
and  Solway,  into  Scotland.  In  these  marches,  however, 
they  preserved  all  the  rules  of  war  ;  they  abstained  in  a 
great  measure  from  plunder ;  they  levied  contributions  on 
the  towns  as  they  passed  along ;  and  with  unaccountable 
caution  left  a  garrison  at  Carlisle,  which  shortly  after  was 
obliged  to  surrender  to  the  duke  of  Cumberland  at  discre- 
tion, to  the  number  of  four  hundred  men. 

3.  The  pretender  being  returned  to  Scotland,  he  proceed 
ed  to  Glasgow,  from  which  city  he  exacted  severe  contribu 
lions.     He  advanced  from  thence  to  Stirling,  where  he  was 
joined  by  lord  Lewis  Gordon,  at  the  head  of  some  forces, 


334  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

which  had  been  assembled  in  his  absence.  Other  clans,  id 
the  number  of  two  thousand,  came  in  likewise  ;  and  from 
some  supplies  of  money  which  he  received  from  Spain,  and 
from  some  skirmishes,  in  which  he  was  successful  against 
the  royalists,  his  affairs  began  to  wear  a  more  promising  as- 
pect. 4.  Being  joined  by  lord  Drummond,  he  invested  the 
castle  of  Stirling,  commanded  by  general  Blakeney  ;  but  the 
rebel  forces,  being  unused  to  sieges,  consumed  much  time  to 
no  purpose.  It  was  during  this  attempt  that  general  Haw- 
ley,  who  commanded  a  considerable  body  of  forces  near 
Edinburgh,  undertook  to  raise  the  siege,  and  advanced  to- 
wards the  rebel  army  as  far  as  Falkirk.  After  two  days 
spent  in  mutually  examining  each  other's  strength,  the  re- 
bels being  ardent  to  engage,  were  led  on,  in  full  spirits,  to 
attack  the  king's  army.  5.  The  pretender,  who  was  in  the 
front  line,  gave  the  signal  to  engage,  and  the  first  fire  put 
Hawley's  forces  into  confusion.  The  horse  retreated  wit^ 
precipitation,  and  fell  upon  their  own  infantry  ;  while  trie 
rebels  following  up  the  blow,  the  greatest  part  of  the  royal 
army  fled  with  the  utmost  precipitation.  They  retired  in 
confusion  to  Edinburgh,  leaving  the  conquerors  in  posses- 
sion of  their  tents,  their  artillery,  and  the  field  of  battle. 

Thus  far  the  affairs  of  the  rebel  army  seemed  not  unpros- 
perous;  but  here  was  an  end  of  all  their  triumphs.  The 
duke  of  Cumberland,  at  that  time  the  favourite  of  the  Eng- 
lish army,  had  been  recalled  from  Flanders,  and  put  him- 
self at  the  head  of  the  troops  at  Edinburgh,  which  consisted  of 
about  fourteen  thousand  men.  7.  With  these  he  advanced 
to  Aberdeen,  where  he  was  joined  by  several  of  the  Scotch 
nobility,  attached  to  the  house  of  Hanover  ;  and  having 
revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  his  army,  he  resolved  to  find 
out  the  enemy,  who  retreated  at  his  approach.  After  having 
refreshed  his  troops  at  Aberdeen  for  some  time,  he  renewed 
his  march,  and  in  twelve  days  he  came  up  to  the  banks  of 
the  deep  and  rapid  river  Spey.  This  was  the  place  where 
the  rebels  might  have  disputed  his  passage,  but  they  lost 
every  advantage  in  disputing  with  each  other.  8.  They 
seemed  now  totally  void  of  all  counsel  and  subordination, 
without  conduct,  and  without  unanimity.  After  a  variety 
of  contests  among  each  other,  they  resolved  to  wait  their 
pursuers  upon  the  plains  of  Culloden,  a  place  about  nine 
miles  distant  from  Inverness,  embosomed  in  hills,  except  on 
that  side  which  was  open  to  the  sea.  There  they  drew  up 
in  order  of  battle,  to  the  number  of  eight  thousand  men,  in 


GEORGE    II.  335 

three  divisions,  supplied  with  some  pieces  of  artillery,  ill 
manned  and  served. 

9.  The  battle  began  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ; 
the  cannon  of  the  king's  army  did  dreadful  execution  among 
the  rebels,  while  theirs  was  totally  unserviceable.  One  of 
the  great  errors  in  all  the  pretender's  warlike  measures,  was 
his  subjecting  wild  and  undisciplined  troops  to  the  forms  of 
artful  war,  and  thus  repressing  their  native  ardour,  from 
which  alone  he  could  hope  for  success.  10.  After  they  had 
kept  in  their  ranks  and  withstood  the  English  fire  for  some 
time,  they  at  length  became  impatient  for  closer  engagement ; 
and  about  five  hundred  of  them  made  an  irruption  upon  the 
left  wing  of  the  enemy  with  their  accustomed  ferocity. 
The  first  line  being  disordered  by  this  onset,  two  battalions 
advanced  to  support  it,  and  galled  the  enemy  with  a  terrible 
close  discharge.  11.  At  the  same  time  the  dragoons,  under 
Hawley,  and  the  Argyleshire  militia,  pulling  down  a  park 
wall  feebly  defended,  fell  among  them,  sword  in  hand,  with 
great  slaughter.  In  less  than  thirty  minutes  they  were 
totally  routed,  and  the  field  covered  with  their  wounded 
and  slain,  to  the  number  of  three  thousand  men.  The 
French  troops  on  the  left  did  not  fire  a  shot,  but  stood  inac- 
tive during  the  engagement,  and  afterwards  surrendered 
themselves  prisoners  of  war.  12.  An  entire  body  of  the 
clans  marched  off  the  field  in  order,  while  the  rest  were 
routed  with  great  slaughter,  and  their  leaders  obliged  with 
reluctance  to  retire.  Civil  war  is  in  itself  terrible,  but  much 
more  so  when  heightened  by  unnecessary  cruelty.  How 
guilty  soever  an  enemy  may  be,  it  is  the  duty  of  a  brave 
soldier  to  remember  that  he  is  only  to  fight  an  opposer,  and 
not  a  suppliant.  13.  The  victory  was  in  every  respect 
decisive,  and  humanity  to  the  conquered  would  have  ren- 
dered it  glorious.  But  little  mercy  was  shown  here ;  the 
conquerors  were  seen  to  refuse  quarter  to  the  wounded,  the 
unarmed,  the  defenceless ;  some  were  slain  who  were  only 
excited  by  curiosity  to  become  spectators  of  the  combat, 
and  soldiers  were  seen  to  anticipate  the  base  employment  of 
the  executioner.  14.  The  duke,  immediately  after  the 
a^tien,  ordered  six-and-thirty  deserters  to  be  executed. 
The  conquerors  spread  terror  wherever  they  came  ;  and, 
after  a  short  space,  the  whole  country  round  was  one  dread- 
ful scene  of  plunder,  slaughter,  and  desolation  ;  justice  was 
forgotten,  and  vengeance  assumed  the  name. 


336  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  pretender's  array  ? 

2.  To  what  place  did  the  rebels  retreat? 

3.  By  whom  were  they  joined  ? 

4.  What  success  attended  them  in  besieging  Stirling  castle? 
Who  attempted  to  raise  the  siege  ? 

5.  With  what  success  did  the  rebels  attack  the  royal  army  ? 

6.  What  ended  their  triumphs? 

7.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  duke  of  Cumberland? 

8.  What  was  the  determination  of  the  rebel  army  ? 
What  was  the  amount  of  their  forces  ? 

9 — 12.  Relate  the  particulars  and  result  of  the  battle  of  Culloden. 
13,  14.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  conquerors? 


SECTION  VII. 

The  qualify  of  mercy  is  not  strained  ; 

It  droppeth  as  the  gentle  rain  from  heaven 

Upon  the  place  beneath  :  it  is  twice  blessed  ; 

It  blesseth  him  that  gives  and  him  that  takes.  —  Shakspcare. 

1.  (A.D.  1746.)  In  this  manner  were  blasted  all  the 
hopes  and  all  the  ambition  of  the  young  adventurer ;  one 
short  hour  deprived  him  of  imaginary  thrones  and  sceptres, 
and  reduced  him  from  a  nominal  king  to  a  distressed,  forlorn 
outcast,  shunned  by  all  mankind  except  those  who  sought 
his  destruction.  To  the  good  and  the  brave,  subsequent 
distress  often  atones  for  former  guilt;  and  while  reason 
would  speak  for  punishment,  our  hearts  plead  for  mercy. 
2.  Immediately  after  the  engagement,  he  fled  away  with  a 
captain  of  Fitz-james's  cavalry,  and,  when  their  horses 
were  fatigued,  they  both  alighted,  and  separately  sought 
for  safety.  He  for  some  days  wandered  in  this  country, 
naturally  wild,  but  now  rendered  more  formidable  by  war, 
a  wretched  spectator  of  all  those  horrors  which  were  the 
result  of  his  ill-grounded  ambition. 

3.  There  is  a  striking  similitude  between  his  adventures 
and  those  of  Charles  the  Second  upon  his  escape  from 
Worcester.  He  sometimes  found  refuge  in  caves  and 
cottages,  without,  attendants,  and  dependent  on  the  wretched 
natives,  who  could  pity,  but  not  relieve  him.  Sometimes 
he  lay  in  forests,  with  one  or  two  companions  of  his  dis- 
tress, continually  pursued  by  the  troops  of  the  conqueror, 
as  there  was  a  reward  of  thirty  thousand  pounds  offered 
for  taking  him  dead  or  alive.  4.  Sheridan,  an  Irish  adven- 
turer, was  the  person  who  kept  most  faithfully  by  him,  and 
inspired  him  with  courage  to  support  such  incredible  hard- 
ships. He  had  occasion,  in  the  course  of  his  concealments, 
to  trusi  his  life  to  the  fidelity  of  above  fifty  individuals, 


GEORGE    II.  337 

whose  veneration  for  his  family  prevailed  aoove  their  ava- 
rice. 

5.  One  day,  having  walked  from  morning  till  night,  he 
ventured  to  enter  a  house,  the  owner  of  which  he  well 
knew  was  attached  to  the  opposite  party.  As  he  entered 
he  addressed  the  master  of  the  house  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  "  The  son  of  your  king  comes  to  beg  a  little  bread, 
and  a  few  clothes.  I  know  your  present  attachment  to  my 
adversaries,  but  I  believe  you  have  sufficient  honour  not  to 
abuse  my  confidence,  or  to  take  advantage  of  my  distressed 
situation.  Take  these  rags,  that  have  for  some  time  been 
my  only  covering :  you  may  probably  restore  them  to  me 
one  day,  when  I  shall  be  seated  on  the  throne  of  Great 
Britain."  6.  The  master  of  the  house  was  touched  with 
pity  at  his  distress  ;  he  assisted  him  as  far  as  he  was  able, 
and  never  divulged  the  secret.  There  were  few  of  those, 
who  even  wished  his  destruction,  that  would  choose  to  be 
the  immediate  actors  in  it,  as  it  would  have  subjected  them 
to  the  resentment  of  a  numerous  party. 

7.  In  this  manner  he  continued  to  wander  among  the 
frightful  wilds  of  Glengary  for  near  six  months,  often 
nemmed  round  by  his  pursuers,  but  still  rescued  by  some 
lucky  accident  from  the  impending  danger.  At  length  a 
privateer  of  St.  Maloes,  hired  by  his  adherents,  arrived 
in  Lochnanach,  in  which  he  embarked  in  the  most  wretched 
attire.  He  was  clad  in  a  short  coat  of  black  frieze,  thread- 
bare, over  which  was  a  common  Highland  plaid,  girt  round 
by  a  belt,  from  whence  were  suspended  a  pistol  and  a  dag- 
ger. He  had  not  been  shifted  for  many  weeks ;  his  eyes 
were  hollow,  his  visage  wan,  and  his  constitution  greatly 
impaired  by  famine  and  fatigue.  8.  He  was  accompanied 
by  Sullivan  and  Sheridan,  two  Irish  adherents,  who  had 
shared  all  his  calamities,  together  with  Cameron  of  Lochiel, 
and  his  brother,  and  a  few  other  exiles.  They  set  sail  for 
France  :  and,  after  having  been  chased  by  two  English 
men-of-war,  they  arrived  in  safety  at  a  place  called  Roseau, 
near  Morlaix,  in  Bretagne.  Perhaps  he  would  have  found 
it  more  difficult  to  escape,  had  not  the  vigilance  of  his  pur- 
suers been  relaxed  by  a  report  that  he  was  already  slain. 

9.  In  the  mean  time,  while  the  pretender  was  thus  pur- 
sued, the  scaffolds  and  the  gibbets  were  preparing  for  his 
adherents.  Seventeen  officers  of  the  rebel  army  were 
hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,  at  Kennington-common,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  London.  Their  constancy  in  death 
2P 


338  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

gained  more  proselytes  to  their  cause  than  even  perhaps 
their  victories  would  have  obtained.  Nine  were  executed 
in  the  same  manner  at  Carlisle,  and  eleven  at  York.  A  few 
obtained  pardon,  and  a  considerable  number  of  common 
men  were  transported  to  the  plantations  in  North  America. 

10.  The  earls  of  Kilmarnock  and  Cromartie,  and  the 
lord  Balmerino,  were  tried  by  their  peers,  and  found  guilty. 
Cromartie  was  pardoned,  and  the  rest  were  beheaded  on 
Tower-hill. 

In  this  manner  victory,  defeat,  negotiation,  treachery,  and 
rebellion,  succeeded  each  other  rapidly  for  some  years,  till 
all  sides  began  to  think  themselves  growing  more  feeble, 
and  gaining  no  solid  advantage. 

11.  A  negotiation  was,  therefore,  resolved  upon;  and 
the  contending  powers  agreed  to  come  to  a  congress  at 
Aix-la-Chapelle,  where  the  earl  of  Sandford  and  sir  Thomas 
Robinson  assisted  as  plenipotentiaries  from  the  king  of 
Great  Britain.  This  treaty  was  begun  upon  the  preliminary 
condition  of  restoring  all  conquests  made  during  the  war. 
12.  From  thence  great  hopes  were  expected  of  conditions 
both  favourable  and  honourable  to  the  English  ;  but  the 
treaty  still  remains  a  lasting  mark  of  precipitate  counsels 
and  English  disgrace.  By  this  it  was  agreed,  that  all  pri- 
soners on  each  side  should  be  mutually  restored,  and  all 
conquests  given  up.  That  the  dutchies  of  Parma,  Placentia, 
and  Guastalla,  should  be  ceded  to  don  Philip,  heir-apparent 
to  the  Spanish  throne,  and  to  his  heirs ;  but  in  case  of  his 
succeeding  to  the  crown  of  Spain,  then  these  dominions 
should  revert  to  the  house  of  Austria.  13.  It  was  con- 
firmed that  the  fortifications  of  Dunkirk  to  the  sea  should 
be  demolished ;  that  the  English  ships  annually  sent  with 
slaves  to  the  coast  of  New  Spain  should  have  this  privilege 
continued  for  four  years  ;  that  the  king  of  Prussia  should 
be  confirmed  in  the  possession  of  Silesia,  which  he  had 
lately  conquered  ;  and  that  the  queen  of  Hungary  should 
be  secured  in  her  patrimonial  dominions.  14.  But  one 
article  of  this  peace  was  more  displeasing  and  afflictive  to 
the  English  than  all  the  rest.  It  was  stipulated  that  the 
king  of  Great  Britain  should,  immediately  after  the  ratifica- 
tion of.  this  treaty,  send  two  persons  of  rank  and  distinction 

o  France,  as  hostages,  until  restitution  should  be  made  of 
Cape  Breton,  and  all  other  conquests  which  England  had 
made  during  the  war.  15.  This  was  a  mortifying  clause; 
bu\  to  add  to  the  general  error  of  the  negotiation,  no  men 


GEORGE    II.  339 

tion  was  made  of  the  searching  the  vessels  of  England  in 
the  American  seas,  upon  which  the  war  was  originally 
begun.  The  limits  of  their  respective  possessions  in  North 
America  were  not  ascertained ;  nor  did  they  receive  any 
equivalent  for  those  forts  which  they  restored  to  the  enemy. 
16.  The  treaty  of  Utrecht  had  long  been  the  object  of  re- 
proach to  those  by  whom  it  was  made  ;  but  with  all  its 
faults,  the  treaty  now  concluded  was  by  far  more  despicable 
and  erroneous.  Yet  such  was  the  spirit  of  the  times,  that 
(he  treaty  of  Utrecht  was  branded  with  universal  contempt, 
and  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle  was  extolled  with  the 
highest  strains  of  praise. 

17.  This  treaty,  which  some  asserted  would  serve  for  a 
bond  of  permanent  amity,  was,  properly  speaking,  but  a 
temporary  truce;  a  cessation  from  hostilities,  wh:"3h  both 
sides  were  unable  to  continue.  Though  the  war  between 
England  and  France  was  actually  hushed  up  in  Europe, 
yet  in  the  East  and  West  Indies  it  still  went  forward  with 
undiminished  vehemence  ;  both  sides  still  willing  to  offend, 
still  offending,  and  yet  both  complaining  of  the  infraction. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1,  2.  In  what  situation  was  the  pretender  after  the  battle  of  Culloden  ? 

3.  Whose  adventures  did  his  resemble  ? 

4.  Who  was  his  most  faithful  attendant  ? 

5.  In  what  manner  did  he  address  one  of  his  opponents  ? 

7.  By  what  means  did  he  escape  ?  and  what  was  his  appearance  ? 

8.  By  whom  was  he  accompanied  ? 

9.  In  what  manner  were  his  adherents  punished  ? 

10.  What  noblemen  were  beheaded  ? 

11.  What  led  to  a  negotiation  between  Great  Britain  and  Spain  ? 

3  2.  What  hopes  were  expected  from  this  treaty  1    What  was  the  result  ? 

1 3.  What  were  its  conditions  ?  ^ 

14.  Which  article  of  the  peace  was  very  displeasing  to  the  English  ? 

15.  What  was  another  error  in  the  negotiation  ? 

16.  What  opinion  was  held  of  this  treaty  ? 


SECTION  VIII. 

In  distant  climes  we  wage  unequal  war. 

And  transatlantic  broils  our  comfort  mar. — Jones 


1.  (A.  D.  1750.)  A  new  colony  having  been  formed  in 
North  America,  in  the  province  of  Nova  Scotia,  it  was 
thought  that  thither  the  waste  of  an  exuberant  nation  might 
well  be  drained  off;  and  those  bold  spirits  kept  in  employ- 
ment at  a  distance,  who  might  be  dangerous  if  suffered  to 
continue  in  idleness  at  home.     Nova  Scotia  was  a  place 


340  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

where  men  might  be  imprisoned,  but  not  maintained  ;  it  was 
cold,  barren,  and  incapable  of  successful  cultivation.  2. 
The  new  colony,  therefore,  was  maintained  there  with  some 
expense  to  the  government  in  the  beginning ;  and  such  as 
were  permitted  soon  went  southward  to  the  milder  climates, 
where  they  were  invited  by  an  untenanted  and  fertile  soil. 
Thus  did  the  nation  ungratefully  send  off  her  hardy  veterans 
to  perish  on  inhospitable  shores,  and  this  they  were  taught 
to  believe  would  extend  their  dominions.     . 

3.  However,  it  was  for  this  barren  spot  that  the  English 
and  French  revived  the  war,  which  soon  after  spread  with 
such  terrible  devastation  over  every  part  of  the  globe.  The 
native  Indians  bordering  upon  the  deserts  of  Nova  Scotia,  a 
fierce  and  savage  people,  looked  from  the  first  with  jealousy 
upon  these  new  settlers ;  and  they  considered  the  vicinity 
of  the  English  as  an  encroachment  upon  their  native  pos- 
sessions. 4.  The  French,  who  were  neighbours,  in  like 
manner,  and  who  were  still  impressed  with  national  animo- 
sity, fomented  these  suspicions  in  the  natives,  and  repre- 
sented the  English  (and  with  regard  to  this  colony  the 
representation  might  be  true)  as  enterprising  and  severe. 
Commissaries  were,  therefore,  appointed  to  meet  at  Paris, 
to  compromise  these  disputes  ;  but  these  conferences  were 
rendered  abortive  by  the  cavillings  of  men,  who  could  not 
be  supposed  to  understand  the  subject  in  debate. 

5.  As  this  seemed  to  be  the  first  place  where  the  dissen- 
sions took  their  rise  for  a  new  war,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
be  a  little  more  minute.  The  French  had  been  the  first 
cultivators  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  by  great  industry  and  long 
perseverance  had  rendered  the  soil,  naturally  barren,  some- 
what fertile,  and  capable  of  sustaining  nature,  with  some 
assistance  from  Europe.  This  country,  however,  had  fre- 
quently changed  masters,  until  at  length  the  English  were 
settled  in  the  possession,  and  acknowledged  as  the  rightful 
owners,  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht.  6.  The  possession  of 
this  country  was  reckoned  necessary  to  defend  the  English 
colonies  to  the  north,  and  to  preserve  their  superiority  in  the 
fisheries  in  that  part  of  the  world.  The  French,  however, 
who  had  been  long  settled  in  the  back  part  of  the  country, 
resolved  to  use  every  method  to  dispossess  the  new-comers, 
and  spirited  up  the  Indians  to  more  open  hostilities,  which 
were  represented  to  the  English  ministry  for  some  time 
without  redress. 

7.  Soon  after  this,  another  source  of  dispute  began  to  be 


GEORGE    II.  341 

sieen  in  the  same  part  of  the  world,  and  promised  as  much 
uneasiness  as  the  former.  The  French,  pretending  first  to 
have  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  river  Mississippi,  claimed 
the  whole  adjacent  country  towards  New  Mexico  on  the 
east,  and  quite  to  the  Apalachian  mountains  on  the  west.  8. 
In  order  to  assert  their  claims,  they  found  several  English, 
who  had  settled  beyond  these  mountains  from  motives  of 
commerce,  and  also  invited  by  the  natural  beauties  of  the 
country  ;  they  dispossessed  them  of  their  new  settlements, 
and  built  such  forts  as  would  command  the  whole  country 
round  about. 

9.  Not  in  America  alone,  but  also  in  Asia,  the  seeds  of 
a  new  war  were  preparing  to  be  expanded.  On  the  coasts 
of  Malabar,  the  English  and  French  had,  in  fact,  never 
ceased  from  hostilities. 

(A.  D.  1756.)  The  ministry,  however,  in  England  now 
began  a  very  vigorous  exertion  in  defence  of  their  colonies, 
who  refused  to  defend  themselves.  Four  operations  were 
undertaken  in  America  at  the  same  time.  Of  these,  one 
was  commanded  by  colonel  Monckton,  who  had  orders  to 
drive  the  French  from  the  encroachments  upon  the  province 
of  Nova  Scotia.  10.  The  second,  more  to  the  south,  was 
directed  against  Crown  Point,  under  the  command  of  gene- 
ral Johnson.  The  third,  under  the  conduct  of  general  Shir- 
ley, was  destined  to  Niagara,  to  secure  the  forts  on  that 
river;  and  the  fourth  was  farther  southward  still,  against 
fort  du  Quesne,  under  general  Braddock. 

11.  In  these  expeditions  Monckton  was  successful; 
Johnson  also  was  victorious,  though  he  failed  in  taking  the 
fort  against  which  he  was  sent ;  Shirley  was  thought  to 
have  lost  the  season  for  operation  by  delay  ;  Braddock  was 
vigorous  and  active,  but  suffered  a  defeat.  This  bold  com- 
mander, who  had  been  recommended  to  this  service  by  the 
duke  of  Cumberland,  set  forward  upon  this  expedition  in 
June,  and  left  the  cultivated  parts  of  the  country  on  the  10th, 
at  the  head  of  two  thousand  two  hundred  men,  directing  his 
march  to  that  part  of  the  country  whence  major  Washington 
had  retreated  the  year  before.  12.  Being  at  length  within 
ten  miles  of  the  French  fortress  he  was  appointed  to  besiege, 
and  marching  forward  through  the  forest  with  full  confidence 
of  success,  on  a  sudden  his  whole  army  was  astonished  by 
a  general  discharge  of  arms,  both  in  front  and  flank,  from 
an  enemy  that  still  remained  unseen.  It  was  now  too  late 
to  think  of  retreating  ;  the  troops  had  passed  into  the  defile 
2f2 


342  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

which  the  enemy  had  artfully  permitted  them  to  do  before 
they  offered  to  fire.  13.  The  vanguard  of  the  English  now, 
therefore,  fell  back  in  consternation  upon  the  main  body, 
and  the  panic  soon  became  general.  The  officers  alone 
disdained  to  fly,  while  Braddock  himself  still  continued  to 
command  his  brave  associates,  discovering  at  once  the 
greatest  intrepidity  and  the  greatest  imprudence.  14.  An 
enthusiast  to  the  discipline  of  war,  he  disdained  to  fly  from 
the  field,  or  to  permit  his  men  to  quit  their  ranks,  when 
their  only  method  of  treating  the  Indian  army  was  by  pre- 
cipitate attack,  or  an  immediate  desertion  of  the  field  of 
battle.  At  length  Braddock,  having  received  a  musket-shot 
through  the  lungs,  dropped,  and  a  total  confusion  ensued. 
All  the  artillery,  ammunition,  and  baggage  of  the  army  was 
left  to  the  enemy ;  and  the  loss  sustained  by  the  English 
army  might  amount  to  seven  hundred  men.  The  remnant 
of  the  army  in  this  emergency  was  saved  by  the  courage  and 
ability  of  Washington. 

15.  The  murmurs,  fears,  and  dissensions  which  this 
defeat  gave  rise  to,  gave  the  French  an  opportunity  of  car- 
rying on  their  designs  in  another  quarter.  The  island  of 
Minorca,  which  we  had  taken  from  the  Spaniards  in  the 
reign  of  queen  Anne,  was  secured  to  England  by  repeated 
treaties.  But  the  ministry  at  this  time,  being  blinded  by 
domestic  terrors,  had  neglected  to  take  sufficient  precaution 
for  its  defence,  so  that  the  garrison  was  weak,  and  no  way 
fitted  to  stand  a  vigorous  siege.  16.  The  French,  there- 
fore, landed  near  the  fortification  of  St.  Philip,  which  was 
reckoned  one  of  the  strongest  in  Europe,  and  commanded 
by  general  Blakeney,  who  was  brave  indeed,  but  rather 
superannuated.  The  siege  was  carried  on  with  vigour,  and 
for  some  time  as  obstinately  defended  on  the  side  of  the 
English  ;  but  the  place  was  at  length  obliged  to  capitulate. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1,  2.  From  what  motive  was  the  new  colonv  in  Nova  Scotia  furnished  with 
inhabitants  ? 

3.  What  was  the  cause  of  the  renewal  of  the  war  ? 

4.  Where  were  commissaries  appointed  to  meet  to  settle  these  disputes  ? 
What  rendered  these  conferences  abortive  ? 

5.  Who  had  been  the  first  cultivators  of  JNova  Scotia? 

Who  had  been  acknowledged  rightful  owners  of  this  country? 
6    What  method  did  the  French  use  to  dispossess  the  English  ? 
8   What  other  conduct  of  the  French  contributed  to  hasten  the  war? 
'.),  10.  What  operations  were  undertaken  by  the  English? 
11.  What  success  attended  them  ? 


GEORGE    II.  343 

12  13.  Relate  the  particulars  of  general  Braddock's  expedition. 
14.  What  was  the  result  of  it? 

15, 16.  What  other  enterprise  did  the  French  undertake  ?  and  with  what 
success  ? 


SECTION  IX. 

■    How  many  traitors  to  their  God  and  King 

Escape  the  death  which  was  reserved  for  Byng. —  Anon. 

1.  (A.D.  1757.)  The  ministry,  being  apprized  of  this  un- 
expected attack,  resolved  to  raise  the  siege  if  possible,  and 
sent  out  admiral  Byng,  with  ten  ships  of  war,  with  orders 
to  relieve  Minorca  at  any  rate.  Byng  accordingly  sailed 
from  Gibraltar,  where  he  was  refused  any  assistance  of  men 
from  the  governor  of  that  garrison,  under  a  pretence  that  his 
own  fortifications  were  in  danger.  2.  Upon  his  approaching 
the  island,  he  saw  the  French  banners  displayed  upon  the 
shore,  and  the  English  colours  still  flying  on  the  castle  of 
St.  Philip.  He  had  been  ordered  to  throw  a  body  of  troops 
into  the  garrison,  but  this  he  thought  too  hazardous  an  un- 
dertaking, nor  did  he  even  make  an  attempt.  While  he 
was  thus  deliberating  between  his  fears  and  his  duty,  his 
attention  was  quickly  called  off  by  the  appearance  of  a 
French  fleet,  that  seemed  of  nearly  equal  force  to  his  own. 
3.  Confounded  by  a  variety  of  measures,  he  seemed  re- 
solved to  pursue  none,  and,  therefore,  gave  orders  to  form 
the  line  of  battle,  and  act  upon  the  defensive.  Byng  had 
been  long  praised  for  his  skill  in  naval  tactics ;  and,  per- 
haps, valuing  most  those  talents  for  which  he  was  most 
praised,  he  sacrificed  all  claims  to  courage  to  the  applause 
for  naval  discipline.  The  French  fleet  advanced,  a  part  of 
the  English  fleet  engaged ;  the  admiral  still  kept  aloof,  and 
gave  very  plausible  reasons  for  not  coming  into  action.  The 
French  fleet,  therefore,  slowly  sailed  away,  and  no  other 
opportunity  ever  offered  of  coming  to  a  closer  engagement 

4.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  resentment  of  the  nation 
upon  being  informed  of  Byng's  conduct.  The  ministry 
were  not  averse  to  throwing  from  themselves  the  blame  of 
those  measures  which  were  attended  with  such  indifferent 
success,  and  they  secretly  fanned  the  flame.  5.  The  news 
which  soon  after  arrived  of  the  surrender  of  the  garrison  to 
the  French,  drove  the  general  ferment  almost  to  frenzy.  In 
the  mean  time  Byng  continued  at  Gibraltar,  quite  satisfied 
with  his  own  conduct,  and  little  expecting  the  dreadful 
storm  that  was  gathering  against  him  at  home.     Orders, 


344  HISTORY    OP    ENGLAND. 

however,   were   6oon  sent  out  for  putting  him  under  an 
arrest,  and  for   carrying  him  to  England.     6.  Upon  his 
arrival  he  was  committed  to  close  custody  in  Greenwich 
hospital,  and  some  arts  used  to  inflame  the  populace  against 
him,  who  want  no  incentives  to  injure  and  condemn  their 
superiors.     Several  addresses  were  sent  up  from  different 
counties,  demanding  justice  on  the  delinquent,  which  the 
ministry  were  willing  to  second.     7.  He   was  soon  after 
tried   by  a   court-martial   in   the    harbour  of  Portsmouth, 
where,  after  a  trial  which  continued  several  days,  his  judges 
were  agreed  that  he  had  not  done  his  utmost  during  the 
engagement  to  destroy  the  enemy,  and  therefore  they  ad- 
judged him  to  suffer  death  by  the  twelfth  article  of  war. 
At  the  same  time,  however,  they  recommended  him  as  an 
object  of  mercy,  as  they  considered  his  conduct  rather  as 
the  effect  of  error  than  of  cowardice.     By  this  sentence  they 
expected  to  satisfy  at  once  the  resentment  of  the  nation,  and 
yet  screen  themselves  from  conscious  severity.     8.  The 
government  was  resolved  upon  showing  him  no  mercy ;  the 
parliament  was  applied  to  in  his  favour ;  but  they  found  no 
circumstance  in  his  conduct  that  could  invalidate  the  former 
sentence.     Being  thus  abandoned  to  his  fate,  he  maintained 
to  the  last  a  degree  of  fortitude  and  serenity  that  no  way 
betrayed  any  timidity  or  cowardice.     On  the  day  fixed  for 
his  execution,  which   was   on  board  a  man-of-war  in  the 
harbour  of  Portsmouth,  he  advanced  from  the  cabin  where 
he  had  been  imprisoned,  upon  deck,  the  place  appointed  for 
him  to  suffer.      9.  After  delivering  a  paper,  containing  the 
strongest  assertions  of  his  innocence,  he  came  forward  to 
the  place  where  he  was  to  kneel  down,  and  for  some  time 
persisted  in  not  covering  his  face ;  but  his  friends  repre- 
senting that  his  looks  would  possibly  intimidate  the  soldiers 
who  were  to  shoot  him,  and  prevent  their  taking  a  proper 
aim,  he  had  his  eyes  bound  with  a  handkerchief;  and  then 
giving  the  signal  for  the  soldiers  to  fire,  he  was  killed  in- 
stantaneously.     There  appears  some   severity  in  Byng's 
punishment ;  but  it  certainly  produced  soon  after  very  bene- 
ficial effects  to  the  nation. 

10.  In  the  progress  of  the  war  the  forces  of  the  con- 
tending powers  of  Europe  were  now  drawn  out  in  the 
following  manner.  England  opposed  France  in  America, 
Asia,  and  on  the  ocean.  France  attacked  Hanover  on  the 
continent  of  Europe.  This  country  the  king  of  Prussia 
undertook  to  protect ;  while  England  promised  him  troops 


GEORGE    II. 


345 


Death  of  Admiral  Byng. 

and  money  to  assist  in  the  operations.  Then  again  Austria 
had  her  aims  at  the  dominions  of  Prussia,  and  drew  the 
elector  of  Saxony  into  the  same  designs.  In  these  views 
she  was  seconded  by  France  and  Sweden,  and  by  Russia, 
who  had  hopes  of  acquiring  a  settlement  in  the  west  of 
Europe. 

11.  The  east  was  the  quarter  in  which  success  first 
began  to  dawn  upon  the  British  arms.  The  affairs  of  the 
English  seemed  to  gain  the  ascendency  by  the  conduct  of 
Mr.  Clive.  This  gentleman  had  at  first  entered  the  com- 
pany's service  in  a  civil  capacity ;  but  finding  his  talents 
more  adapted  to  war,  he  gave  up  his  clerkship,  and  joined 
among  the  troops  as  a  volunteer.  His  courage,  which  i3 
all  that  subordinate  officers  can  at  first  show,  soon  became 
remarkable ;  but  his  conduct,  expedition,  and  military  skill 
soon  after  became  so  conspicuous  as  to  raise  him  to  the  first 
rank  in  the  army. 

12.  The  first  advantage  that  was  obtained  from  his  ac- 
tivity and  courage  was  the  clearing  the  province  of  Arcot. 
Soon  after  the  French  general  was  taken  prisoner  ;  and  the 
nabob,  whom  the  English  supported,  was  reinstated  in  the 
government  of  which  he  had  formerly  been  deprived. 

13.  The  prince  of  the  greatest  power  in  that  country 
declared  war  against  the  English  from  motives  of  personal 
resentment ;  and,  levying  a  numerous  army,  laid  siege  to 
Calcutta,  one  of  the  principal  British  forts  in  that  part  of 


346  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

the  world  ;  but  which  was  not  in  a  state  of  strength  to  de- 
fend itself  against  the  attack  even  of  barbarians.  The  fort 
was  taken,  having  been  deserted  by  the  commander ;  and 
the  garrison,  to  the  number  of  a  hundred  and  forty-six  per- 
sons, were  made  prisoners. 

14.  They  expected  the  usual  treatment  of  prisoners  of 
war,  and  were  therefore  the  less  vigorous  in  their  defence ; 
but  they  soon  found  what  mercy  was  to  be  expected  from  a 
savage  conqueror.  They  were  all  crowded  together  into 
a  narrow  prison,  called  the  Black  Hole,  of  about  eighteen 
feet  square,  and  received  air  only  by  two  small  windows  to 
the  west,  which  by  no  means  afforded  a  sufficient  circula- 
tion. 15.  It  is  terrible  to  reflect  on  the  situation  of  these 
unfortunate  men,  shut  up  in  this  narrow  place,  in  the  burning 
climate  of  the  East,  and  suffocating  each  other.  Their  first 
efforts,  upon  perceiving  the  effects  of  their  horrid  confine- 
ment, were  to  break  open  the  door  of  the  prison :  but,  as 
it  opened  inwards,  they  soon  found  that  impossible.  They 
next  endeavoured  to  excite  the  compassion  or  the  avarice  of 
the  guard,  by  offering  him  a  large  sum  of  money  for  his 
assistance  in  removing  them  into  separate  prisons ;  but  with 
this  he  was  not  able  to  comply,  as  the  viceroy  was  asleep, 
and  no  person  dared  to  disturb  him.  16.  They  were  now, 
therefore,  left  to  die  without  hopes  of  relief;  and  the  whole 
prison  was  filled  with  groans,  shrieks,  contest,  and  despair. 
This  turbulence,  however,  soon  after  sunk  into  a  calm  still 
more  hideous !  their  efforts  of  strength  and  courage  were 
over,  and  an  expiring  languor  succeeded.  In  the  morning, 
when  the  keepers  came  to  visit  the  prison,  all  was  horror, 
silence,  and  desolation.  Of  a  hundred  and  forty-six  who 
had  entered  alive,  twenty-three  only  survived,  and  of  these 
the  greatest  part  died  of  putrid  fevers  upon  being  set  free. 

17.  The  destruction  of  this  important  fortress  served  to 
interrupt  the  prosperous  success  of  the  English  company  ; 
but  the  fortune  of  Mr.  Clive,  backed  by  the  activity  of  an 
English  fleet  under  admiral  Watson,  still  turned  the  scale 
in  their  favour.  Among  the  number  of  those  who  felt  the 
power  of  the  English  in  that  part  of  the  world  was  the 
famous  Tullagee  Angria,  a  piratical  prince,  who  had  long 
infested  the  Indian  ocean,  and  made  the  princes  on  the 
coast  his  tributaries.  He  maintained  a  large  number  of 
galleys,  and  with  these  he  attacked  the  largest  ships,  and 
almost  ever  with  success.  18.  As  the  company  had  been 
greatly  harassed  by  his  depredations,  they  resolved  to  sub- 


GEORGE    II.  347 

due  such  a  dangerous  enemy,  and  attack  him  in  his  own 
fortress.  In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  admiral  Watson 
and  colonel  Clive  sailed  into  his  harbour  of  Geriah ;  and 
though  they  sustained  a  warm  fire  as  they  entered,  yet  they 
soon  threw  all  his  fleet  into  flames,  and  obliged  his  fort  to 
surrender  at  discretion.  The  conquerors  found  there  a  large 
quantity  of  warlike  stores,  and  effects  to  a  considerable  value. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  Who  was  sent  out  to  the  relief  of  Minorca  ? 

2,  3.  What  was  the  conduct  of  admiral  Byng  ? 

4.  What  was  the  consequence  ? 

5.  What  afterwards  followed  ? 

6.  What  treatment  did  Byng  experience  ? 

7.  What  was  the  result  of  the  court-martial  ? 

8.  9.  Relate  the  manner  of  Byng's  execution. 

•  0.  In  what  manner  were  the  contending  powers  opposed  to  each  other? 

11.  In  what  quarter  did  success  first  attend  the  British  arms  ? 
From  whose  conduct  ? 

12,  13.  What  were  the  first  operations  ? 

14 — 16.  Relate  the  terrible  situation  of  the  prisoners  confined  in  the  Black 

Hole  at  Calcutta. 
17, 18.  What  are  the  particulars  of  the  success  which  attended  colonel  Clive 

and  admiral  Watson  ? 


SECTION  X. 


Pelhatn  niH  place  and  life  resigns, 

Clive,  erst  unheard  of  in  the  nation, 
Saves  India,  brightest  star  that  shines 

In  our  commercial  constellation. —  Dibdin. 

1.  (A.D.  1757.)  Colonel  Clive  proceeded  to  take  re- 
venge for  the  cruelty  practised  upon  the  English.  About 
the  beginning  of  December  he  arrived  at  Balasore,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Bengal.  He  met  with  little  opposition  either 
to  the  fleet  or  army,  till  they  came  before  Calcutta,  which 
seemed  resolved  to  stand  a  regular  siege.  As  soon  as  the 
admiral  with  two  ships  arrived  before  the  town,  he  received 
a  furious  fire  from  all  the  batteries,  which  he  soon  returned 
with  still  greater  execution,  and  in  less  than  two  hours 
obliged  them  to  abandon  their  fortifications.  By  these 
means  the  English  took  possession  of  the  two  strongest 
settlements  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges  ;  but  that  of  Geriah 
they  demolished  to  the  ground. 

2.  Soon  after  these  successes,  Hoogly,  a  city  of  great 
trade,  was  reduced,  with  as  little  difficulty  as  the  former, 
and  all  the  viceroy  of  Bengal's  storehouses  and  granaries 
were  destroyed.  In  order  to  repair  these  losses,  this  barba- 
rous prince  assembled  an  army  of  ten  thousand  horse  and 


348  HISTORY    01    ENGLAND. 

fifteen  thousand  foot,  and  professed  a  firm  resolution  of 
expelling  the  English  from  all  their  settlements  in  that  part 
of  the  world.  3.  Upon  the  first  intelligence  of  his  march, 
colonel  Clive  obtained  a  reinforcement  of  men  from  the 
admiral's  ships,  and  advanced  with  his  little  army  to  attack 
these  numerous  forces.  He  attacked  the  enemy  in  three 
columns,  and,  though  the  numbers  were  so  disproportionate, 
victory  soon  declared  in  favour  of  the  English. 

4.  The  English  by  these  victories  having  placed  a  viceroy 
on  the  throne  (for  the  Mogul  had  long  lost  all  power  in 
India),  they  took  care  to  exact  such  stipulations  in  their 
own  favour  as  would  secure  them  in  possession  of  the 
country  whenever  they  thought  proper  to  resume  their 
authority.  They  were  gratified  in  their  avarice  to  its  ex- 
tremest  wish ;  and  that  wealth  which  they  had  plundered 
from  slaves  in  India,  they  were  resolved  to  employ  in  mak- 
ing slaves  at  home. 

5.  From  the  conquest  of  the  Indians,  colonel  Clive  turned 
to  the  humbling  of  the  French,-  who  had  long  disputed 
empire  in  that  part  of  the  world,  and  soon  dispossessed 
them  of  all  their  power,  and  all  their  settlements. 

6.  In  the  mean  time,  while  conquest  shone  upon  us  from 
the  East,  it  was  still  more  splendid  in  the  western  world. 
But  some  alterations  in  the  ministry  led  to  those  successes 
which  had  been  long  wished  for  by  the  nation,  and  were  at 
length  obtained.  The  affairs  of  war  had  hitherto  been 
directed  by  a  ministry  but  ill  supported  by  the  commons, 
because  not  confided  in  by  the  people.  They  seemed  timid 
and  wavering,  and  but  feebly  held  together,  rather  by  their 
fears  than  their  mutual  confidence.  7.  When  any  new 
measure  was  proposed  which  could  not  receive  their  appro- 
bation, or  any  new  member  was  introduced  into  government 
whom  they  did  not  appoint,  they  considered  it  as  an  in- 
fringement on  their  respective  departments,  and  threw  up 
their  places  with  disgust,  with  a  view  to  resume  them  with 
greater  lustre.  Thus  the  strength  of  the  crown  was  every 
day  declining,  while  an  aristocracy  filled  up  every  avenue 
to  the  throne,  intent  only  on  the  emolument,  not  the  duties 
of  office. 

8.  This  was,  at  that  time,  the  general  opinion  of  the 
people,  and  it  was  too  loud  not  to  reach  the  throne.  The 
ministry  that  had  hitherto  hedged  in  the  throne  were  at 
length  obliged  to  admit  some  men  into  a  share  of  the  govern- 
ment, whose  activity  at  least   would  counterbalance  then 


GEORGE    It.  349 

timidity  and  irresolution.  At  the  head  of  a  newly  intro- 
duced party  was  the  celebrated  Mr..  William  Pitt,  from 
whose  vigour  the  nation  formed  very  great  expectations,  and 
they  were  not  deceived. 

9.  But  though  the  old  ministers  were  obliged  to  admit 
these  new  members  into  their  society,  there  was  no  legal 
penalty  for  refusing  to  co-operate  with  them ;  they,  there- 
fore, associated  with  each  other,  and  used  every  art  to  make 
their  new  assistants  obnoxious  to  the  king,  upon  whom  they 
had  been  in  a  manner  forced  by  the  people.  His  former 
ministry  flattered  him  in  all  his  attachments  to  his  German 
dominions,  while  the  new  had  long  clamoured  against  all 
continental  connexions,  as  utterly  incompatible  with  the 
interest  of  the  nation.  These  two  opinions,  carried  to  the 
extreme,  might  have  been  erroneous ;  but  the  king  was 
naturally  led  to  side  with  those  who  favoured  his  own  sen- 
timents, and  to  reject  those  who  opposed  them. 

10.  Mr.  Pitt,  therefore,  after  being  a  few  months  in  office, 
was  ordered  to  resign  by  his  majesty's  command ;  and  his 
coadjutor,  Mr.  Legge,  was  displaced  from  being  chancellor 
of  the  exchequer.  But  this  blow  to  his  ambition  was  but 
of  short  continuance ;  the  whole  nation,  almost  to  a  man, 
seemed  to  rise  up  in  his  defence ;  and  Mr.  Pitt  and  Mr. 
Legge  being  restored  to  their  former  employments,  the  one 
secretary  of  state,  and  the  other  chancellor  of  the  exche- 
quer, began  to  act  with  vigour. 

11.  The  consequence  of  the  former  ill-conducted  counsels 
still  seemed  to  continue  in  America.  The  generals  sent 
over  to  manage  the  operations  of  the  war  loudly  accused 
the  timidity  and  delays  of  the  natives,  whose  duty  it  was 
to  unite  in  their  own  defence.  The  natives,  on  the  other 
hand,  as  warmly  expostulated  against  the  pride,  avarice, 
and  incapacity  of  those  sent  over  to  command  them.  12. 
General  Shirley,  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  supreme 
command  there,  had  been  for  some  time  recalled,  and  re- 
placed by  lord  Loudon ;  and  this  nobleman  also  soon  after 
returning  to  England,  three  several  commanders  were  put  at 
the  head  of  separate  operations.  General  Amherst  com- 
manded that  designed  against  the  island  of  Cape  Breton. 
The  other  was  consigned  to  general  Abercrombie,  against 
Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga ;  and  the  third,  still  more  to 
the  southward,  against  Fort  du  Quesne,  commanded  by 
brigadier-general  Forbes. 

13.  Cape  Breton,  which  had  been  taken  from  the  French 
2G 


350  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

during  the  preceding  war,  had  been  returned  at  the  treaty  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle.  It  was  not  till  the  English  had  been  put 
in  possession  of  that  island  that  they  began  to  perceive  its 
advantageous  situation,  and  the  convenience  of  its  harbour 
for  annoying  the  British  trade  with  impunity.  It  was  also 
a  convenient  port  for  carrying  on  their  fishery,  a  branch  of 
commerce  of  the  utmost  benefit  to  that  nation.  The  wrest- 
ing it,  therefore,  once  more  from  the  hands  of  the  French, 
was  a  measure  ardently  desired  by  the  whole  nation.  14. 
The  fortress  of  Louisbourg,  by  which  it  was  defended,  had 
been  strengthened  by  the  assistance  of  art,  and  was  still 
better  fortified  by  the  nature  of  its  situation.  The  garrison 
also  was  numerous,  the  commander  vigilant,  and  every 
precaution  taken  to  oppose  a  landing.  An  account  of  the 
operations  of  the  siege  can  give  but  little  pleasure  in  abridg- 
ment ;  be  it  sufficient  to  say,  that  the  English  surmounted 
every  obstacle  with  great  intrepidity.  Their  former  timidity 
and  irresolution  seemed  to  vanish,  their  natural  courage  and 
confidence  returned,  and  the  place  surrendered  by  capitula- 
tion. The  fortifications  were  soon  after  demolished,  and 
rendered  unfit  for  future  protection. 


Questions  for  Examination-, 

1.  What  further  successes  attended  colonel  Clive  ? 

2,  3.  What  victory  did  he  obtain  over  the  viceroy  of  Bengal  ? 

4-  What  was  the  consequence  of  these  victories  ? 

5-  How  did  colonel  Clive  treat  the  French  ? 
6,  7.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  ministry  ? 

8.  Who  was  at  the  head  of  the  newly  introduced  party  ? 

9.  What  was  the  conduct  of  the  old  ministry  ? 

For  what  reasons  was  the  king  favourable  to  his  former  ministers  ? 
10.  What  followed  the  resignation  of  the  new  ministers  ? 

12.  What  generals  commanded  the  American  operations? 

13.  Why  was  Cape  Breton  considered  an  advantageous  situation  ? 

14.  Relate  the  particulars  of  the  capture  of  Louisbourg. 


SECTION  XI. 

His  country's  glory  fired  him  as  he  died, 
Her  love  still  sounded  in  his  falt'ring  breath 


O  bless  her  arms,  the  falling  conqueror  cried, 
Heav'n  heard,  and  victory  adorned  his  death. 

Elegy  on  the  death  oj  Wolfe. 

1  (A.D.  1758.)  The  expedition  of  Fort  du  Quesne  was 
equally  successful,  but  that  against  Crown  Point  was  once 
more  defeated.  This  was  now  the  second  time  that  the 
English  army  had  attempted  to  penetrate  into  those  hideous 
wilds  by  which  nature  had  secured  the  French  possessions 
in  that  part  of  the  world.     Braddock  fell  in  the   attempt, 


GEORGE    II.  351 

a  martyr  to  his  impetuosity :  too  much  caution  was  equally 
injurious  to  his  successor.  Abercrombie  spent  much  time 
in  marching  to  the  place  of  action,  and  the  enemy  were 
thus  perfectly  prepared  to  give  him  a  severe  reception.  2. 
As  he  approached  Ticonderoga,  he  found  them  deeply  in- 
trenched at  the  foot  of  the  fort,  and  still  farther  secured  by 
fallen  trees,  with  their  branches  pointing  against  him. 
These  difficulties  the  English  ardour  attempted  to  surmount: 
but  as  the  enemy,  being  secure  themselves,  took  aim  at 
leisure,  a  terrible  carnage  of  the  assailants  ensued ;  and  the 
general,  after  repeated  efforts,  was  obliged  to  order  a  retreat. 
3.  The  English  army,  however,  were  still  superior,  and  it 
was  supposed,  that  when  the  artillery  was  arrived,  some- 
thing more  successful  might  be  performed  ;  but  the  general 
felt  too  sensibly  the  terror  of  the  late  defeat  to  remain  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  triumphant  enemy.  He  therefore 
withdrew  his  troops,  and  returned  to  his  camp  at  Lake 
George,  from  whence  he  had  taken  his  departure. 

4.  But  though,  in  this  respect,  the  English  arms  were 
unsuccessful,  yet  upon  the  whole  the  campaign  was  greatly 
in  their  favour.  The  taking  of  Fort  du  Quesne  served  to 
remove  from  their  colonies  the  terror  of  the  incursions  of 
the  Indians,  while  it  interrupted  that  correspondence  which 
ran  along  a  chain  of  forts,  with  which  the  French  had  envi- 
roned the  English  settlements  in  America.  This,  therefore, 
promised  a  fortunate  campaign  the  next  year,  and  vigorous 
measures  were  taken  to  ensure  success. 

5.  Accordingly,  on  the  opening  of  the  following  year,  the 
ministry,  sensible  that  a  single  effort  carried  on  in  such  an 
extensive  country  could  never  reduce  the  enemy,  were  re- 
solved to  attack  them  in  several  parts  of  the  empire  at  once. 
Preparations  were  also  made,  and  expeditions  driven  for- 
ward against  three  different  parts  of  North  America  at  the 
same  time.  6.  General  Amherst,  the  commander-in-chief, 
with  a  body  of  twelve  thousand  men,  was  to  attack  Crown 
Point,  that  had  hitherto  been  the  reproach  of  the  English 
army.  General  Wolfe  was  at  the  opposite  quarter  to  enter 
the  river  St.  Lawrence,  and  undertake  the  siege  of  Quebec, 
the  capital  of  the  French  dominions  in  America ;  while  ge- 
neral Prideaux  and  sir  William  Johnson  were  to  attempt  a 
French  fort  near  the  cataract  of  Niagara. 

7.  The  last-named  expedition  was  the  first  that  succeed- 
ed. The  fort  of  Niagara  was  a  place  of  great  importance, 
and  served  to  command  all  the  communication  beiween  the 


852  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

northern  and  western  French  settlements.  The  siege  was 
begun  with  vigour,  and  promised  an  easy  conquest ;  but 
general  Prideaux  was  killed  in  the  trenches  by  the  bursting 
of  a  mortar,  so  that  the  whole  command  of  the  expedition 
devolved  upon  general  Johnson,  who  omitted  nothing  to 
push  forward  the  vigorous  operations  of  his  predecessor,  to 
which  also  he  added  his  own  popularity  with  the  soldiers 
under  him.  8.  A  body  of  French  troops,  who  were  sensi- 
ble of  the  importance  of  this  fort,  attempted  to  relieve  it ; 
but  Johnson  attacked  them  with  intrepidity  and  success  ;  for 
in  less  than  an  hour  their  whole  army  was  put  to  the  rout. 
The  garrison  soon  after,  perceiving  the  fate  of  their  coun- 
trymen, surrendered  prisoners  of  war.  The  success  of  ge- 
neral Amherst  was  less  splendid,  though  not  less  servicea- 
ble ;  upon  arriving  at  the  destined  place,  he  found  the  forts, 
both  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga,  deserted  and  de- 
stroyed. 

9.  (A.D.  1759.)  There  now,  therefore,  remained  but  one 
grand  and  decisive  blow  to  put  all  North  America  into  the 
possession  of  the  English  ;  and  this  was  the  taking  of  Que- 
bec, the  capital  of  Canada,  a  city  handsomely  built,  popu- 
lous and  flourishing.  Admiral  Saunders  was  appointed  to 
command  the  naval  part  of  the  expedition  ;  the  siege  by 
land  was  committed  to  the  conduct  of  general  Wolfe,  of 
whom  the  nation  had  great  expectations.  This  young  sol- 
dier, who  was  not  thirty-five,  had  distinguished  himself  on 
many  former  occasions,  particularly  at  the  siege  of  Louis- 
bourg,  a  part  of  the  success  of  which  was  justly  ascribed  to 
him,  who,  without  being  indebted  to  family  or  connexions, 
had  raised  himself  by  merit  to  his  present  command. 

10.  The  war  in  this  part  of  the  world  had  been  hitherto 
carried  on  with  extreme  barbarity,  and  retaliating  murders 
were  continued  without  any  one's  knowing  who  first  began. 
Wolfe,  however,  disdaining  to  imita'te  an  example  that  had 
been  set  him  even  by  some  of  his  associate  officers,  carried 
on  the  war  with  all  the  spirit  of  humanity  which  it  admits 
of.  11.  It  is  not  our  aim  to  enter  into  a  minute  detail  of 
the  siege  of  this  city,  which  could  at  best  only  give  amuse- 
ment to  a  few  ;  it  will  be  sufficient  to  say,  that  when  we 
consider  the  situation  of  a  town  on  the  side  of  a  great  river, 
the  fortifications  with  which  it  was  secured,  the  natura1 
strength  of  the  country,  the  great  number  of  vessels  and 
floating  batteries  the  enemy  had  provided  for  the  defence  of 
the  river,  the  numerous  bodies  of  savages  continually  hover- 


GEORGE    II.  353 

ing  round  the  English  army,  we  must  own  there  was  such  a 
combination  of  difficulties  as  might  discourage  and  perplex 
the  most  resolute  commander.  12.  The  general  himself 
seemed  perfectly  sensible  of  the  difficulty  of  the  undertaking. 
After  stating,  in  a  letter  to  the  ministry,  the  dangers  that  pre- 
sented, "  I  know,"  said  he,  "  that  the  affairs  of  Great  Britain 
require  the  most  vigorous  measures.  But  then  the  courage 
of  a  handful  of  brave  men  should  be  exerted  only  where 
there  is  some  hope  of  a  favourable  event.  At  present  the 
difficulties  are  so  various,  that  I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  deter- 
mine." 13.  The  only  prospect  of  attempting  the  town  with 
success  was  by  landing  a  body  of  troops  in  the  night  below 
the  town,  who  were  to  clamber  up  the  banks  of  the  river, 
and  take  possession  of  the  ground  on  the  back  of  the  city. 
This  attempt,  however,  appeared  peculiarly  discouraging. 
The  stream  was  rapid,  the  shore  shelving,  the  bank  above 
lined  with  sentinels,  the  landing-place  so  narrow  as  to  be 
easily  missed  in  the  dark,  and  the  steepness  of  the  ground 
such  as  hardly  to  be  surmounted  in  the  day-time.  All  these 
difficulties,  however,  were  surmounted  by  the  conduct  of 
the  general,  and  the  bravery  of  the  men.  14.  Colonel  How, 
with  the  light  infantry  and  the  Highlanders,  ascended  the 
woody  precipices  with  admirable  courage  and  activity,  and 
dislodged  a  small  body  of  troops  that  defended  a  narrow 
pathway  up  to  the  bank ;  thus,  a  few  mounting,  the  general 
drew  the  rest  up  in  order  as  they  arrived.  Monsieur  de 
Montcalm,  the  French  commander,  was  no  sooner  apprized 
that  the  English  had  gained  these  heights,  which  he  had 
confidently  deemed  inaccessible,  than  he  resolved  to  hazard 
a  battle,  and  a  spirited  encounter  quickly  began.  This  was 
one  of  the  most  furious  engagements  during  the  war.  15. 
The  French  general  was  slain ;  the  second  in  command 
shared  the  same  fate.  General  Wolfe  was  standing  on  the 
right,  where  the  attack  was  most  warm  ;  as  he  stood  con- 
spicuous in  the  front  line,  he  had  been  aimed  at  by  the  ene- 
my's marksmen,  and  received  a  shot  in  the  wrist,  which, 
however,  did  not  oblige  him  to  quit  the  field.  Having 
wrapped  a  handkerchief  round  his  hand,  he  continued  giving 
orders  without  the  least  emotion,  and  advanced  at  the  head 
of  the  grenadiers,  with  their  bayonets  fixed  :  but  a  second 
ball,  more  fatal,  pierced  his  breast ;  so  that,  unable  to  pro- 
ceed, he  leaned  on  the  shoulder  of  a  soldier  that  was  next 
him.  16.  Now,  struggling  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  just 
expiring,  he  heard  a  voice  cry,  "  They  run !"  Upon  which 
2g2 


354 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Death  of  General  Wolfe. 


he  seemed  for  a  moment  to  revive,  and  asking  who  ran,  was 
informed  the  French.  Expressing  his  wonder  that  they  ran 
so  soon,  and  unable  to  gaze  any  longer,  he  sunk  on  the  sol- 
dier's breast,  and  his  last  words  were,  "  I  die  happy !" 
Perhaps  the  loss  of  the  English  that  day  was  greater  than 
the  conquest  of  Canada  was  advantageous.  But  it  is  the 
lot  of  mankind  only  to  know  true  merit  on  that  dreadful  oc- 
casion when  they  are  going  to  lose  it. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  success  against  Fort  du  Quesne  ? 

2.  What  difficulties  had  Abercromhie  to  encounter? 

3.  To  what  place  did  he  withdraw  his  troops  ? 

4.  What  was  the  general  success  of  the  campaign  ? 

5.  What  vigorous  measures  were  adopted  the  following  year  ? 

6.  By  whom  were  the  different  expeditions  commanded  ? 

7.  8.  What  are  the  particulars  of  the  expedition  which  first  succeeded  ? 
9.  What  was  the  next  decisive  blow  ? 

To  whom  wras  intrusted  the  command  of  the  expedition  against  Quebec  ? 

10.  In  what  manner  did  Wolfe  carry  on  the  war  ? 

11.  What  was  the  situation  and  strength  of  Quebec? 
"2.  What  was  the  opinion  of  the  general? 

13,  14.  Relate  the  particulars  and  success  of  the  siege. 
15.  In  what  manner  was  general  Wolfe  wounded  ? 
\6    Relate  his  heroic  conduct  in  the  agonies  of  death. 


GEORGE     II.  355 

SECTION  XII. 

Fresh  laurels  graced  the  victor's  brow 

On  Minden's  gory  plains  : 
But  what  avail  those  laurels  now? — 

Imaginary  gains !  —  Anon. 

1.  (A.D.  1759.)  The  surrender  of  Quebec  was  the  con- 
sequence of  this  victory  ;  and  with  it  soon  after  the  total 
cession  of  all  Canada.  The  French,  indeed,  the  following 
season,  made  a  vigorous  effort  to  retake  the  city  ;  but  by 
the  resolution  of  governor  Murray,  and  the  appearance  of 
an  English  fleet  under  the  command  of  lord  Colville,  they 
were  obliged  to  abandon  the  enterprise.  2.  The  whole 
province  was  soon  after  reduced  by  the  prudence  and  acti- 
vity of  general  Amherst,  who  obliged  the  French  army  to 
capitulate,  and  it  has  since  remained  annexed  to  the  British 
empire.  To  these  conquests,  about  the  same  time  was 
added  the  reduction  of  the  island  of  Gaudaloupe,  under 
commodore  Moore  and  general  Hopson  ;  an  acquisition  of 
great  importance,  but  which  was  restored  at  the  succeeding 
peace. 

3.  These  successes  in  India  and  America  were  great, 
though  achieved  by  no  very  extensive  efforts  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, the  efforts  of  the  English  made  in  Europe,  and  the 
operations  of  their  great  ally,  the  king  of  Prussia,  were  asto- 
nishing, yet  produced  no  signal  advantages. 

4.  England  was  all  this  time  happily  retired  from  the  mi 
series  which  oppressed  the  rest  of  Europe  ;  yet  from  her 
natural  military  ardour,  she  seemed  desirous  of  sharing  those 
dangers  of  which  she  was  only  a  spectator.  This  passion 
for  sharing  in  a  continental  war  was  not  less  pleasing  to  the 
king  of  England,  from  his  native  attachment,  than  from  a 
desire  of  revenge  upon  the  plunderers  of  his  country.  5.  As 
soon,  therefore,  as  it  was  known  that  prince  Ferdinand  had 
put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Hanoverian  army,  to  assist 
the  king  of  Prussia,  his  Britannic  majesty,  in  a  speech  to 
his  parliament,  observed  that  the  late  successes  of  his  ally  in 
Germany  had  given  a  happy  turn  to  his  affairs,  which  it 
would  be  necessary  to  improve.  The  commons  concurred 
in  his  sentiments,  and  liberally  granted  supplies  both  for  the 
service  of  the  king  of  Prussia,  and  for  enabling  the  army 
formed  in  Hanover  to  act  vigorously  in  conjunction  with 
him. 

6.  From  sending  money  over  into  Germany,  the  nation 
began  to  extend  their  benefits  ;  and  it  was  soon  considered 
that  men  would  be  a  more  grateful  supply.     Mr.  Pitt,  who 


356  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

had  at  first  come  into  popularity  and  power  by  opposing 
such  measures,  was  now  prevailed  on  to  enter  into  them 
with  even  greater  ardour  than  any  of  his  predecessors.  7. 
The  hopes  of  putting  a  speedy  end  to  the  war  by  vigorous 
measures,  the  connexions  with  which  he  was  obliged  to  co- 
operate, and  perhaps  the  pleasure  he  found  in  pleasing  the 
king,  altogether  incited  him  eagerly  to  push  forward  a  con- 
tinental war.  However,  he  only  conspired  with  the  general 
inclinations  of  the  people  at  this  time,  who,  assured  by  the 
noble  efforts  of  their  only  ally,  were  unwilling  to  see  him 
fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  united  ambition  of  his  enemies. 

8.  In  order  to  indulge  the  general  inclination  of  assisting 
the  king  of  Prussia,  the  duke  of  Marlborough  was  at  first 
sent  into  Germany,  with  a  small  body  of  British  forces  to 
join  prince  Ferdinand,  whose  activity  against  the  French 
began  to  be  crowned  with  success.  After  some  small  suc- 
cesses gained  by  the  allied  army  at  Crevelt,  the  duke  of 
Marlborough  dying,  the  command  devolved  upon  lord  George 
Sackville,  who  was  at  that  time  a  favourite  with  the  British 
army.  9.  However,  a  misunderstanding  arose  between  him 
and  the  commander-in-chief,  which  soon  had  an  occasion  of 
being  displayed  at  the  battle  of  Minden,  which  was  fought 
soon  after.  The  cause  of  this  secret  disgust  on  both  sides 
is  not  clearly  known;  it  is  thought  that  the  extensive  genius 
and  the  inquisitive  spirit  of  the  English  general  were  by  no 
means  agreeable  to  his  superior  in  command,  who  hoped  to 
reap  some  pecuniary  advantages  the  other  was  unwilling  to 
permit.  10.  Be  this  as  it  will,  both  armies  advancing  near 
the  town  of  Minden,  the  French  began  the  attack  with  great 
vigour,  and  a  general  engagement  of  the  infantry  ensued. 
Lord  George,  at  the  head  of  the  British  and  Hanoverian 
horse,  was  stationed  at  some  distance  on  the  right  of  the  in- 
fantry, from  which  they  were  divided  by  a  scanty  wood  that 
bordered  on  a  heath.  The  French  infantry  giving  ground, 
the  prince  thought  that  this  would  be  a  favourable  opportu- 
nity to  pour  down  the  horse  among  them,  and  accordingly 
sent  lord  George  orders  to  come  on.  11.  These  orders 
were  but  ill-observed  ;  and  whether  they  were  unintelligible 
or  contradictory,  still  remains  a  point  for  posterity  to  debate 
upon.  It  is  certain  that  lord  George  shortly  after  was  re- 
called, tried  by  a  court-martial,  found  guilty,  and  declared 
incapable  of  serving  in  any  military  command  for  the  future. 

12.  The  enemy,  however,  were  repulsed  in  all  their  at- 
tacks with  considerable  loss,  and  at  length,  giving  way,  were 


GEORGE    II.  357 

pursued  to  the  very  ramparts  of  Minden.  The  victory  was 
splendid,  but  laurels  were  the  only  advantage  reaped  from 
the  field  of  battle.  * 

13.  After  these  victories,  which  were  greatly  magnified 
in  England,  it  was  supposed  that  one  reinforcement  more  of 
British  troops  would  terminate  the  war  in  favour  of  the  allies, 
and  a  reinforcement  was  quickly  sent.  The  British  army 
in  Germany  now,  therefore,  amounted  to  above  thirty  thou- 
sand men,  and  the  wrhole  nation  was  flushed  with  the  hopes 
of  immediate  conquest.  But  these  hopes  soon  vanished,  in. 
finding  victory  and  defeat  successively  following  each  other. 
The  allies  were  worsted  at  Corbac,  but  retrieved  their  ho- 
nour at  Exdorf.  A  victory  at  Warbourgh  followed  shortly 
after,  and  another  at  Zirenburg ;  but  then  they  suffered  a 
defeat  at  Compen,  after  which  both  sides  went  into  winter- 
quarters.  14.  The  successes  thus  on  either  side  might  be 
considered  as  a  compact,  by  which  both  engaged  to  lose 
much  and  gain  little  ;  for  no  advantage  whatever  followed 
from  victory.  The  English  at  length  began  to  open  their 
eyes  to  their  own  interest,  and  found  that  they  were  waging 
unequal  war,  and  loading  themselves  with  taxes,  for  con- 
quests that  they  could  neither  preserve  nor  enjoy. 


Questions  for  Examination. 
1,  2.  What  consequence  followed  this  victory? 

4.  What  passion  operated  for  sharing  in  a  continental  war? 

5.  What  observation  did  his  majesty  make  to  the  commons?  and  how  d.:d 

they  concur  in  his  sentiments  ? 
6,7.  What  was  Mr.  Pitt's  conduct;  and  what  were  the  general  inclinations 
of  the  people  ? 

8.  What  English  commander  was  first  sent  to  Germany  ? 

9.  What  caused  the  misunderstanding  which  took  place  between  the  com 

manders  ? 
10,  11.  How  did  lord  George  Sackville  act  at  the  battle  of  Minden  ? 

12.  What  was  the  success  of  it? 

13.  What  followed  these  victories? 

14.  In  what  light  might  the  events  of  this  war  be  considered  ? 


SECTION  XIII. 

The  boast  of  heraldry,  the  pomp  of  pow'r, 
And  all  that  beauty,  all  that  wealth  ere  gave, 

Await  alike  the  inevitable  hour ; 
The  paths  of  glory  lead  but  to  the  grave —  Or  ay. 

1.  (A.  D.  1759.)  It  must  be  confessed,  that  the  efforts  of 
England  at  this  time  over  every  part  of  the  globe,  were 
amazing,  and  the  expense  of  her  operations  greater  than  had 
ever  been   disbursed  by  any  nation  before.     The  king  of 


358  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

Prussia  received  a  subsidy  ;  a  large  body  of  her  forces  com 
manded  the  extensive  peninsula  of  India ;  another  army  of 
twenty  thousand  men  confirmed  their  conquests  in  North 
America;  there  were  thirty  thousand  men  employed  in 
Germany,  and  several  other  bodies  dispersed  in  different 
garrisons  in  various  parts  of  the  world  ;  but  all  these  were 
nothing  to  the  force  maintained  at  sea,  which  carried  com- 
mand wherever  it  came,  and  had  totally  annihilated  the 
French  power  on  that  element.  2.  The  courage  and  con- 
duct of  the  English  admirals  had  surpassed  whatever  had 
been  read  in  history ;  neither  superior  force  nor  number, 
nor  even  the  terrors  of  the  tempest,  could  intimidate  them. 
Admiral  Hawke  gained  a  complete  victory  over  an  equal 
number  of  French  ships,  on  the  coast  of  Bretagne,  in  Qui- 
beron  Bay,  in  the  midst  of  a  tempest,  during  the  darkness 
of  night ;  and  what  a  seaman  fears  more,  upon  a  rocky  shore. 

3.  Such  was  the  glorious  figure  the  British  nation  appear- 
ed in  to  all  the  world  at  this  time.  But  while  their  arms 
prospered  in  every  effort  tending  to  the  real  interests  of  the 
nation,  an  event  happened,  which  for  a  time  obscured  the 
splendour  of  her  victories.  On  the  twenty-fourth  of  Octo- 
ber, the  king,  without  having  complained  of  any  previous 
disorder,  was  found  by  his  domestics  expiring  in  his  cham- 
ber. 4.  He  had  arisen  at  his  usual  hour,  and  observed  to 
his  attendants,  that,  as  the  weather  was  fine,  he  would  take 
a  walk  in  the  garden  of  Kensington,  where  he  then  resided. 
In  a  few  minutes  after  his  return,  being  left  alone,  he  was 
heard  to  fall  down  upon  the  floor.  The  noise  of  this  bring- 
ing his  attendants  into  the  room,  they  lifted  him  into  bed, 
where  he  desired,  with  a  faint  voice,  that  the  princess  Ame- 
lia might  be  sent  for :  but,  before  she  could  reach  the  apart- 
ment, he  expired.  An  attempt  was  made  to  bleed  him,  but 
without  effect ;  and  afterwards  the  surgeons,  upon  opening 
him,  discovered  that  the  right  ventricle  of  the  heart  was 
ruptured,  and  that  a  great  quantity  of  blood  was  discharged 
through  the  aperture. 

5.  (Oct.  25,  1760.)  George  the  Second  died  in  the  se- 
venty-seventh year  of  his  age,  and  thirty-third  of  his  reign, 
lamented  by  his  subjects,  and  in  the  midst  of  victory.  If 
any  monarch  was  happy  in  the  peculiar  mode  of  his  death, 
and  the  precise  time  of  its  arrival,  it  was  he.  6.  The  uni- 
versal enthusiasm  for  conquest  was  now  beginning  to  sub- 
side, and  sober  reason  to  take  her  turn  in  the  administration 
of  affairs.     The  factions  which  had  been  nursing  during  his 


GEORGE  TI.  359 

ong  reign  had  not  yet  come  to  maturity  ;  but  threatened, 
with  all  their  virulence,  to  afflict  his  successor.  He  was 
himself  of  no  shining  abilities  ;  and  while  he  was  permitted 
to  guide  and  assist  his  German  dominions,  he  intrusted  the 
care  of  Great  Britain  to  his  ministers  at  home.  However, 
as  we  stand  too  near  to  be  impartial  judges  of  his  merits  or 
defects,  let  us  state  his  character,  as  delivered  by  two  writ- 
ers of  opposite  opinions. 

7.  "  On  whatever  side,"  says  his  panegyrist,  "  we  look 
upon  his  character,  we  shall  find  ample  matter  for  just  and 
unsuspected  praise.  None  of  his  predecessors  on  the  throne 
of  England  lived  to  so  great  an  age,  or  enjoyed  longer  feli- 
city. His  subjects  were  still  improving  under  him  in  com- 
merce and  arts  ;  and  his  own  economy  set  a  prudent  example 
to  the  nation,  which,  however,  they  did  not  follow.  He 
was  in  temper  sudden  and  violent ;  but  this,  though  it  influ- 
enced his  conduct,  made  no  change  in  his  behaviour,  which 
was  generally  guided  by  reason.  8.  He  was  plain  and  di- 
rect in  his  intentions,  true  to  his  word,  steady  in  his  favour 
and  protection  of  his  servants,  not  parting  even  with  his  mi- 
nisters till  compelled  to  it  by  the  violence  of  faction.  In 
short,  through  the  whole  of  his  life,  he  appeared  rather  to 
live  for  the  cultivation  of  useful  virtues  than  splendid  ones  ; 
and,  satisfied  with  being  good,  left  others  their  unenvied 
greatness.'*  • 

9.  Such  is  the  picture  given  by  his  friends,  but  there 
are  others  who  reverse  the  medal.  "  As  to  the  extent  of 
his  understanding,  or  the  splendour  of  his  virtue,  we  rather 
wish  for  opportunities  of  praise  than  undertake  the  task 
ourselves.  His  public  character  was  marked  with  a  predi- 
lection for  his  native  country,  and  to  that  he  sacrificed  all 
other  considerations.  10.  He  was  not  only  unlearned  him- 
self, but  he  despised  learning  in  others  :  and  though  genius 
might  have  flourished  in  his  reign,  yet  he  neither  promoted 
it  by  his  influence  nor  example.  His  frugality  bordered 
upon  avarice  ;  and  he  hoarded  not  for  his  subjects,  but  him- 
self." Which  of  these  two  characters  is  true,  or  whether 
they  may  not  in  part  be  both  so,  I  will  not  pretend  to  decide. 
If  his  favourers  are  numerous,  so  are  they  who  oppose  him  ; 

et  posterity,  therefore,  decide  the  contest. 


300 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  astonishing  efforts  did  Britain  make  to  carry  on  the  war  > 

2.  In  what  manner  was  the  courage  of  the  English  admirals  show*, 

3.  What  important  event  obscured  the  lustre  of  these  victories  ? 

4.  What  circumstances  preceded  the  king's  death  ]  . 
What  was  the  cause  of  his  death  ? 

5.  What  was  his  age,  and  how  long  did  he  reign  ? 

6.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  country  at  that  time  1 

7.  8.  What  is  the  character  of  the  king  as  given  by  his  friends  ? 
9,  10.  What,  as  given  by  his  enemies  ] 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 
Popes.  Emperors  of  the  Turks. 


A.    D. 

Benedict  XIII 1724 

Clement  XII 1738 

Benedict  XIV 1740 

Clement  XIII 1758 

Emperors  of  Germany. 

Charles  VI 1711 

Charles  VII 1740 

Francis  Stephen 1745 

Emperors  and  Empresses  of 
Russia. 

Peter  II 1727 

Anne 1730 

John 1740 

Elizabeth 1741 

King  of  France. 
Louis  XV 1715 


Kings  of  Spain. 

Philip  V.  (restored) 1724 

Ferdinand  VI 1745 


A.    D. 

AchmetHI 1703 

Mahomet  V 1730 

Osman  II 1754 

Mustapha  III 1757 

Kings  of  Portugal. 

John  V 1707 

Joseph 1750 

Kings  of  Denmark. 

Frederick  IV 1699 

Christian  VI 1730 

Frederick  V 1746 


Kings  of  Sweden. 

Frederick 1720 

Adolphus 1750 

Kings  of  Prussia. 

Frederick  II 1713 

Frederick  III 1740 


GEORGE    III. 


EMINENT  PERSONS. 


361 


William  Pitt,  earl  of  Chatham,  Admiral  Hawke.  General  Wolfe. 
Alexander  Pope.  James  Thomson.*  Dr.  Young.  John,  lord  Carteret 
Philip,  earl  of  Hardwick.  Henry  Pelham.  H.  lord  Hyde  and  Corn- 
bury.  Horatio,  lord  Walpole.  George  Booth,  earl  of  Warrington. 
J.  Hamilton,  earl  of  Abercorn,  &c.  &c.  &c. 


CHAPTER  XXXVL 
GEORGE  IH. 

Born  1738.    Died  1820.    Began  to  reign  1760.    Reigned  59  years, 

SECTION  I. 

Hail,  monarch  i  born  the  pledge  of  happier  days, 
To  guard  our  freedom  and  our  glories  raise, 
Given  to  the  world  to  spread  religion's  sway, 
And  pour  o'er  many  a  land  the  mental  day.  —  Mickle. 

1.  (October  25,  1760.)  Though  the  health  of  George  IL 
ha^been  long  declining,  his  death  was  totally  unexpected, 
and  the  ministry,  being  unprepared  for  such  an  event,  felt 
not  a  little  embarrassed  when  they  first  waited  on  their  new 
sovereign.  George  HI.,  who  succeeded,  was  the  son  of 
Frederick,  prince  of  Wales,  and  Augusta,  princess  of  Saxe- 
Gotha.      In   consequence  of  the   premature   death   of  his 

*  The  encouragement  given  to  literary  exertion  during  the  reign  of 
queen  Anne,  was  altogether  withdrawn  by  her  successors.  Pope  and 
Swift,  indeed,  still  continued  to  be  patronized  by  their  former  friends, 
but  rising  merit  was  entirely  neglected.  Frederick,  prince  of  Wales, 
during  his  brief  career,  was  an  ostentatious  rather  than  a  generous  patron 
of  letters ;  but  after  his  death,  even  the  semblance  of  encouragement  was 
laid  aside.  The  ministry  had  even  the  incredible  meanness  to  deprive 
poor  Thompson  of  a  miserable  pittance  settled  on  him  by  Frederick. 
After  enduring  great  distress,  this  poet  at  length  obtained  a  small  place, 
through  the  interest  of  lord  Lyttleton,  but  he  did  not  live  to  enjoy  its 
advantages :  to  the  disgrace  of  the  nation  and  its  rulers,  he  died  in  difli- 
ffulties  and  debt, 

3H 


362  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

father,  who  died  without  ascending  the  throne,  his  education 
bad  devolved  upon  his  mother,  by  whom  he  was  brought  up 
in  the  strictest  privacy.  She  had  unfortunately  quarrelled 
with  the  late  king,  and  the  prince,  though  now  in  his  twenty- 
second  year,  had  been  consequently  such  a  stranger  to  the 
court  of  his  grandfather,  that  he  was  unacquainted  even  with 
the  persons  of  the  ministers.  2.  His  first  address  to  the 
council  was  gracious  and  conciliatory  :  the  only  remarkable 
occurrence  that  distinguished  the  opening  of  the  new  reign 
was  the  elevation  of  the  earl  of  Bute  to  the  office  of  privy 
counsellor.  3.  The  parliament  was  assembled  in  Novem- 
ber, and  the  king's  first  speech  gave  universal  satisfaction 
to  the  country.  The  civil  list  was  fixed  at  the  annual  sum 
of  800,000/. ;  and  liberal  supplies  were  voted  for  the  main- 
tenance of  the  war  in  which  the  country  was  engaged. 
The  king,  in  return  for  this  instance  of  affection  on  the  part 
of  the  people,  assented  to  a  bill  for  further  securing  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  judges,  by  providing  that  their  offices  should 
not  be  vacated  on  the  demise  of  the  crown. 

4.  (A.D.  1761.)  The  act  of  settlement  prohibiting  the 
sovereigns  of  Britain  from  intermarrying  with  Roman  Ca- 
tholics, his  majesty  was  precluded  from  seeking  a  consort  in 
the  great  families  of  Europe  ;  he  therefore  selected  as  his 
bride  a  daughter  of  the  house  of  Mecklenburgh  Strelitz,  a 
small  principality  in  the  north  of  Germany ;  the  marriage 
was  celebrated  on  the  8th  of  September,  and  on  the  22d  ol 
the  same  month  the  ceremony  of  the  coronation  was  per- 
formed with  great  pomp  and  magnificence. 

5.  The  war  which  had  been  carried  on  with  great  spirit 
and  success  under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  Pitt,  continued  to  be 
supported  with  unabated  vigour ;  prince  Ferdinand,  at  the 
head  of  the  allies,  pursued  his  victorious  career  in  Germany, 
and  Belleisle  was  captured  by  a  British  force  under  the 
command  of  admiral  Keppel  and  general  Hodgson.  The 
French  court,  terrified  at  these  losses,  made  an  abortive  at- 
tempt to  obtain  peace,  but  having  failed  in  this,  a  successful 
application  for  assistance  was  made  to  the  king  of  Spain, 
and  a  secret  treaty,  called  the  Family  Compact,  was  made 
between  the  two  powers.  6.  This  transaction,  though 
carefully  concealed,  did  not  escape  the  penetration  of  Mr. 
Pitt ;  he  warned  his  colleagues  of  the  insidious  designs  of 
Spain,  and  urged  them  to  send  out  a  fleet  to  intercept  the 
Spanish  flota,  or  strike  some  other  decisive  blow  before  the 
nostile  projects  of  that  court  were  ripe  for  execution.     This 


GEORGE    III.  363 

proposal  was  very  coolly  received  by  the  other  members  of 
the  cabinet ;  they  were  not  in  possession  of  all  the  informa- 
tion which  their  colleague  had  obtained,  and  they  were 
besides  jealous  of  the  influence  which  Mr.  Pitt's  superior 
popularity  conferred.  The  project  was  finally  rejected,  and 
Mr.  Pitt  immediately  resigned.  As  a  mark  of  gratitude, 
however,  for  his  eminent  public  services,  a  pension  of 
3000/.  a  year  was  settled  on  him  for  three  lives,  and  his 
wife  was  created  baroness  Chatham. 

7.  The  retirement  of  this  popular  minister  was  generally 
attributed  to  the  secret  influence  of  the  earl  of  Bute,  who 
was  supposed  to  have  obtained  complete  ascendency  over 
the  mind  of  his  royal  master.  This  suspicion  created  ge- 
neral displeasure  among  the  people ;  on  the  lord  mayor's 
day,  when  his  majesty  and  suite  proceeded  to  dine  in  the 
city,  the  king  and  queen  were  received  with  coldness  and 
silence,  the  earl  of  Bute  was  grossly  insulted,  but  Mr.  Pitt 
was  welcomed  with  the  loudest  acclamations. 

8.  In  a  few  months  the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Pitt's  anticipa 
tions  was  fully  established ;  the  hostile  designs  of  Spain 
could  no  longer  be  concealed,  and  when  the  British  ambas- 
sador remonstrated,  he  received  nothing  but  evasive  answers, 
or  flat  refusals  to  all  his  demands.  He  was  in  consequence 
recalled,  and  in  a  short  time  after  a  declaration  of  war  was 
published  against  Spain. 

9.  A  new  parliament  being  assembled,  the  consideration 
yf  a  provision  for  the  queen,  in  the  event  of  her  surviving 
his  majesty,  was  recommended  from  the  throne.  An  annu- 
ity of  100,000/.  was  settled  on  her  for  life,  together  with 
the  palace  of  Somerset  house  (afterwards  exchanged  for 
Buckingham  house),  and  the  lodge  and  lands  of  Richmond 
park. 

10.  (A.D.  1762.)  No  change  of  importance  had  hitherto 
been  made  in  the  cabinet,  except  the  appointment  of  the 
earl  of  Bute  to  the  office  of  secretary  of  state ;  but  a  more 
important  alteration  had  long,  been  meditated,  one  that  in- 
volved almost  a  complete  revolution  in  the  domestic  policy 
of  England.  Since  the  accession  of  the  house  of  Bruns- 
wick, the  administration  of  public  affairs  had  been  prin- 
cipally confided  to  some  of  the  great  families,  by  whose 
exertions  that  race  of  sovereigns  had  been  placed  upon  the 
throne.  Their  power  had  been  considerably  strengthened 
by  the  suppression  of  the  two  rebellions  in  1715  and  1745  ; 
and  the  two  former  kings,  more  attached  to  their  German 


304  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

dominions  than  to  their  British  kingdoms,  surrendered  the 
government  of  these  countries  to  their  ministers  without 
reluctance.  The  new  sovereign  of  Britain  was  entirely- 
free  from  German  predilections  ;  in  the  court  of  his  mother 
he  had  been  taught  to  dislike  the  politics  of  his  grandfather, 
and  he  had  no  longer  any  reason  to  dread  dangers  from  the 
change,  for  the  claims  of  the  young  pretender  had  long  since 
sunk  into  total  insignificance.  Unfortunately,  the  earl  of 
Bute,  to  whom  the  management  of  such  an  important  change 
was  confided,  did  not  possess  abilities  equal  to  the  task. 
His  domestic  virtues,  his  refined  taste,  and  generous  liberality 
had  made  him  deservedly  beloved  in  private  life ;  but  his 
reserved  habits,  his  coldness  of  manner,  and  his  total  igno- 
rance of  state  affairs,  made  his  public  career  odious  to  the 
people,  painful  to  himself,  and  injurious  to  the  popularity  of 
his  sovereign. 

11.  It  was  resolved  to  get  rid  of  the  Pelham  family, 
which  had  been  so  long  at  the  head  of  affairs ;  the  duke 
of  Newcastle  was  made  so  uneasy  in  his  situation,  that  he 
resigned  his  post  as  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  earl  of  Bute  ;  the  greater  part  of  the  ministers 
imitated  the  duke's  example  ;  and  even  the  duke  of  Devon- 
shire, whose  exertions  in  behalf  of  the  Hanoverian  succes- 
sion had  been  rewarded  by  the  place  of  lord  chamberlain, 
found  it  necessary  to  resign  his  situation.  A  furious  paper- 
war  ensued,  and  party  spirit,  which  had  slept  during  the 
triumphant  administration  of  Mr.  Pitt,  was  revived,  and 
raged  with  unparalleled  fury.  National  prejudices  contri- 
buted to  fan  the  flame  ;  the  earl  of  Bute  was  a  Scotchman, 
and  the  old  jealousy  between  the  natives  of  the  northern  and 
southern  divisions  of  the  country  was  made  a  formidable 
engine  of  party  hostility. 

12.  The  war  was  carried  on  with  equal  vigour  and  suc- 
cess by  the  new  administration.  The  French  and  Spaniards 
having  in  vain  endeavoured  to  detach  the  Portuguese  from 
their  alliance  with  England,  sent  an  army  to  invade  the 
country :  but  an  English  body  of  auxiliaries  was  imme- 
diately despatched  to  Portugal,  and  the  progress  of  the  in- 
vaders was  soon  checked.  At  first,  indeed,  the  bigoted 
Portuguese  refused  to  unite  cordially  with  their  heretical 
allies ;  but  when  count  de  la  Lippe  was  appointed  to  the 
command  of  their  armies,  he  entered  cordially  into  the  views 
of  the  English  general,  and  the  Spaniards  were  defeated  in 
two  decisive  engagements.      Spain  suffered  still  more  s** 


GEORGE    III.  365 

verely  in  other  quarters  of  the  globe ;  Havannah,  with 
plunder  to  the  amount  of  three  millions  sterling,  was  taken 
by  the  earl  of  Albemarle  and  admiral  Pococke  ;  the  city 
of  Manilla  surrendered  to  general  Draper  and  admiral  Corn- 
ish ;  it  was  ransomed  for  the  stipulated  sum  of  one  million, 
but  the  Spaniards  violated  their  engagements,  and  the  ran- 
som was  never  paid.  Two  valuable  treasure  ships,  con- 
taining property  to  the  amount  of  two  millions  sterling, 
were  about  the  same  time  captured  by  British  cruisers. 
(August  12,  1762.)  While  the  wagons  that  conveyed  the 
treasure  taken  from  the  Spanish  vessels  to  the  Tower  were 
passing  in  front  of  the  palace,  the  cannon  in  the  park  an- 
nounced the  birth  of  a  prince  of  Wales,  and  this  coincidence 
not  a  little  increased  the  public  joy  at  this  happy  event. 

13.  While  the  arms  of  England  were  thus  triumphant  in 
various  quarters  of  the  globe,  the  king  of  Prussia,  her  prin- 
cipal, and,  indeed,  her  almost  only  ally,  after  a  series  of 
brilliant  exploits,  which  have  immortalized  his  name,  seemed 
to  have  been  brought  to  the  very  brink  of  ruin  by  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Russians  with  his  inveterate  enemies.  At  the 
very  moment,  however,  that  his  destruction  seemed  certain, 
he  was  rescued  by  one  of  those  sudden  revolutions  which 
baffle  all  human  calculation.  Elizabeth,  empress  of  Russia, 
dying,  was  succeeded  by  her  nephew,  Peter  III.,  who  was 
an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  Prussian  king ;  he  not  only 
concluded  a  peace  with  Frederick,  but  even  joined  his  arms 
to  those  of  that  monarch,  and  began  to  act  hostilely  against 
his  former  allies.  Peter  was,  however,  soon  dethroned  by 
his  subjects;  Catharine  II.,  his  consort,  then  became  em- 
press of  Russia  ;  she  withdrew  her  forces  from  those  of  the 
king  of  Prussia,  and  resolved  to  maintain  a  strict  neutrality. 
Frederic  was  not  slow  in  availing  himself  of  these  favour- 
able circumstances,  and  soon  amply  retrieved  his  former 
losses. 

14.  All  parties  were  now  seriously  anxious  for  the  resto- 
ration of  peace.  France  was  deprived  of  her  colonial  pos- 
sessions, and  saw  her  commerce  on  the  brink  of  ruin ;  Spain 
had  suffered  still  more  severely ;  the  Austrians  and  Prus- 
sians were  wearied  of  campaigns,  which  left  the  armies  at 
their  close  nearly  in  the  same  situation  they  occupied  at  the 
commencement ;  and  England,  notwithstanding  her  triumphs, 
felt  that  a  continuation  of  such  exertions  would  soon  ex- 
haust her  resources.  The  seven  years'  war  was  terminated 
b\      general  p^ace,  bv  which  England  was  permitted  to  re- 

2h2 


366  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

tain  Canada  and  several  other  conquests,  receiving  also  from 
Spain,  Florida,  in  exchange  for  the  Havannah.  15.  Though 
the  terms  of  the  peace  were  very  favourable  to  the  interests 
of  the  English,  yet  the  nation,  intoxicated  by  success,  re- 
gretted the  termination  of  the  war.  The  articles  had  been 
signed  several  months  before  the  city  of  London  could  be 
prevailed  upon  to  present  a  tardy  and  reluctant  address  of 
congratulation  ;  and  on  the  day  of  its  presentation,  the  lord- 
mayor  (Beckford)  refused  to  attend,  and  the  bells  of  the 
different  churches  rung  muffled  peals  during  the  procession. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  whom  was  George  II.  succeeded  ? 

2.  Did  any  thing  remarkable  occur  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  privy  council  ? 

3.  What  proceedings  took  place  in  parliament  ? 

4.  To  whom  did  George  III.  unite  himself  in  marriage  ? 

5.  Did  any  circumstances  tend  to  show  hostile  dispositions  in  the  Spanish 

court  ? 

6.  Under  what  circumstances  did  Mr.  Pitt  resign  his  office  ? 

7.  What  were  the  consequences  of  his  resignation  ? 

8.  Were  Mr.  Pitt's  suspicions  of  the  Spanish  court  well  founded  ? 

9.  What  dowry  was  settled  on  the  queen  ? 

JO.  What  great  change  took  place  in  the  administration  ? 

11.  Did  any  evil  consequences  result  from  the  change  of  ministry? 

12.  How  was  the  war  conducted  ?  what  triumphs  did  the  English  obtain  ? 

13.  By  what  means  was  the  king  of  Prussia  rescued  from  his  difficulties? 

14.  Why  were  all  parties  anxious  to  terminate  the  war  ? 

15.  Was  the  peace  popular  in  England  ? 


SECTION  II. 

Like  smone  emitted  from  Vesuvius*  top, 

(Dread  harbinger  of  the  volcano's  powers,) 
So  breathe  the  fires  of  discontent — nor  stop 

Till  all  around  is  wrapt  in  burning  showers.—  Brown. 

1.  (A.D.  1763.)  Tranquillity  might  naturally  haye 
been  expected  at  the  conclusion  of  a  glorious  war,  but  this 
was  prevented  by  the  domestic  dissensions  which  party 
spirit  produced.  The  earl  of  Bute's  unpopularity  still  con- 
tinued, but  his  influence  was  apparently  unabated,  for  not- 
withstanding the  most  vigorous  efforts  of  the  opposition,  he 
prevailed  upon  parliament  to  impose  a  tax  upon  cider, 
which,  without  producing  any  great  revenue,  gave  infinite 
dissatisfaction  to  the  nation.  Immediately  after  this  triumph, 
his  lordship,  to  the  great  surprise  of  every  one,  resigned  his 
post  and  retired  into  private  life.  2.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  George  Grenville.  The  press  soon  teemed  with  the 
most  virulent  libels  from  the  partisans  of  the  several  factions 
that  divided  the  country.     In  these  productions  the  person 


GEORGE  in.  36? 

of  the  sovereign  was  not  always  spared,  until  at  length  the 
ministry  was  roused  by  the  appearance  of  No.  45  of  the 
North  Briton,  a  periodical  paper  conducted  by  Mr.  Wilkes, 
the  member  for  Aylesbury,  in  which  it  was  stated  that  the 
king  had  uttered  a  deliberate  falsehood  in  his  speech  to  par- 
liament. This  was  an  offence  which  could  not  be  passed 
over,  and  a  general  warrant  was  issued  for  the  arrest  of  the 
author,  printers,  and  publishers  of  that  paper.  Mr.  Wilkes 
was  arrested  and  sent  to  the  Tower ;  several  innocent  per- 
sons were  taken  into  custody,  and  the  ministry  found  that 
in  their  eagerness  to  punish  a  delinquent,  they  had  unfortu- 
nately raised  a  great  constitutional  question,  which  must  of 
necessity  be  decided  against  them. 

3.  The  printers  taken  up  under  the  warrant,  brought 
actions  against  the  messengers  by  whom  they  had  been 
arrested,  and  recovered  heavy  damages.  Mr.  Wilkes  also 
having  been  brought  by  habeas  corpus  before  the  court  of 
common  pleas,  was  liberated,  the  judges  being  unanimously 
of  opinion,  that  privilege  of  parliament  extended  to  the  case 
of  writing  a  libel.  The  house  of  commons  gave  a  different 
decision.  They  voted  that  No.  45  of  the  North  Briton 
was  a  false,  scandalous,  and  seditious  libel,  and  that  the 
author  of  such  was  not  protected  by  privilege  of  parliament. 
Soon  after,  Mr.  Wilkes  fought  a  duel  with  Mr.  Martin, 
whom  he  had  libelled,  and  was  severely  wounded ;  he  had 
scarcely  recovered  from  its  effects  when  he  thought  fit  to 
retire  to  France.  (A.  D.  1764.)  During  his  absence,  he  was 
expelled  the  house  of  commons,  and  driven  to  an  outlawry 
in  the  court  of  king's  bench  for  not  appearing  to  stand  his 
trial.  The  only  advantage  that  resulted  from  this  struggle, 
was  the  declaration  of  the  illegality  of  general  warrants  by 
a  resolution  of  both  houses  of  parliament. 

4.  (A.  D.  1765.)  The  immense  expenditure  incurred 
during  the  late  war  had  involved  the  country  in  considerable 
difficulties,  and  it  was  considered  only  just  that  the  Ame- 
rican colonies,  whose  interests  had  been  most  regarded  in 
the  treaty  of  peace,  should  bear  their  proportion  of  the 
public  burdens  ;  accordingly,  a  bill  for  imposing  stamp 
duties  on  all  mercantile  transactions  in  the  colonies  was  in- 
troduced by  Mr.  Grenville,  and  passed  into  a  law  with  but 
little  opposition.  The  Americans  had  been  for  some  time 
previously  very  indignant  at  the  treatment  they  had  received 
from  the  mother-country  ;  their  profitable  trade  with  the 
Spanish  colonies  had  been  destroyed  by  new  fiscal  regula 


368  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

tions  ;  the  Indians  had  harassed  their  back  settlements,  and 
no  royal  forces  were  sent  to  check  the  progress  of  the  bar- 
barians; when,  therefore,  news  arrived  that  taxes  were 
about  to  be  imposed  on  the  colonies  by  a  parliament  in 
which  they  were  not  represented,  public  indignation  knew 
no  bounds,  and  the  colonial  legislatures  sent  remonstrances 
couched  in  very  strong  language  to  the  parliament  and  the 
throne.  5.  The  progress  of  these  dissensions  was,  however, 
arrested  by  the  downfall  of  the  Grenville  administration ; 
the  minister  having  omitted  the  name  of  the  king's  mother 
in  the  bill  for  providing  a  council  of  regency  in  case  of  any 
emergency,  so  displeased  his  majesty,  that  he  was  compelled 
to  send  in  his  resignation.  A  new  ministry  was  formed, 
principally  by  the  exertions  of  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  at 
the  head  of  which  was  placed  the  marquis  of  Rockingham, 
a  nobleman  conspicuous  for  his  public  and  private  virtues, 
but  not  distinguished  by  super-eminent  abilities. 

6.  (A.  D.  1766.)  The  chief  business  of  the  new  ministry 
was  to  undo  all  that  their  predecessors  had  done  ;  the  stamp 
act,  which  had  excited  so  much  dissatisfaction  in  America, 
and  the  cider  tax,  which  was  equally  unpopular  in  England, 
were  both  repealed,  and  these  judicious  measures  were  fol- 
lowed by  a  brief  interval  of  tranquillity.* 

7.  (A.  D.  1767.)  The  Rockingham  administration  was 
so  weakened  by  the  death  of  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  that 
it  was  broken  up,  and  a  new  cabinet  formed  under  the  aus- 
pices of  Mr.  Pitt,  who  was  created  earl  of  Chatham,  and 
the  duke  of  Grafton  was  placed  at  its  head,  as  first  lord  of 
the  treasury.  The  attention  of  government  was  first  directed 
to  the  affairs  of  the  East  India  company,  which  had  been 
thrown  into  confusion  by  the  avarice  and  rapacity  of  their 
servants.  Lord  Clive  was  sent  out  to  India,  with  full  powers 
to  remedy  these  evils,  and  under  his  administration  the  com- 
pany soon  recovered  its  former  prosperity,  and  laid  the 
foundations  of  future  greatness.  8.  The  unfortunate  design 
of  taxing  America  was  again  revived ;  an  act  was  passed 
for  granting  duties  on  all  glass,  paper,  painters'  colours,  and 
tea  imported  into  the  British  colonies  ;  which  the  Americans 
resisted  by  petitions,  remonstrances,  and  agreements  not  to 
use  British  manufactures  until  the  obnoxious  duties  were 
repealed.  An  act  was  also  passed  enjoining  the  colonies  to 
provide  his  majesty's  troops  with  necessaries  in  their  quar- 
ters ;  the  colonial  house  of  assembly,  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  peremptorily  refused  obedience,  and  another  act  was 

*  The  old  Pretender  died  at  Rome  in  this  year,  at  the  age  of  76. 


GEORGE    III.  3G9 

passed  restraining  the  assembly  from   making  laws  until 
they  had  complied  with  the  terms  of  the  former  statute. 

9.  (A.  D.  1768.)  The  natural  date  of  the  parliament 
having  nearly  expired,  it  was  dissolved,  and  writs  issued 
for  the  election  of  a  new  one.  Wilkes  embraced  the  op- 
portunity of  returning  from  exile  which  a  change  of  minis- 
try afforded  ;  he  offered  himself  a  candidate  for  Middlesex, 
and  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  He  then 
surrendered  himself  to  the  court  of  king's  bench,  and  pro- 
cured the  reversal  of  his  outlawry  ;  he  was,  however,  sen- 
tenced to  pay  a  fine  of  a  thousand  pounds,  and  to  be  im- 
prisoned for  twenty-two  months.  As  he  was  esteemed  a 
martyr  in  the  cause  of  liberty,  a  subscription  was  opened 
for  paying  his  fine,  supporting  him  while  in  prison,  and 
compounding  his  debts,  which  amounted  to  more  than 
twenty  thousand  pounds.  10.  The  disturbances  in  America 
still  continued  to  increase,  and  the  states  of  New  England 
were  particularly  remarkable  for  their  determined  hostility 
to  the  new  duties.  Descended  from  the  puritans  and  re- 
publicans, who  had  left  England  after  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.,  and  sought  in  the  wilds  of  America  the  liberty 
of  conscience  denied  to  them  at  home,  the  New  Englanders 
possessed  in  no  ordinary  degree  the  spirit  of  independence, 
and  the  obstinate  resolution  which  had  characterized  the 
soldiers  of  Fairfax  and  Cromwell.  In  Boston  the  commis- 
sioners of  customs  were  so  severely  handled,  that  they  were 
forced  to  take  refuge  from  the  fury  of  the  populace  in  fort 
William  ;  and  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  town,  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  send  thither  two  regiments  of  foot 
from  Halifax,  and  as  many  from  Ireland. 

11.  The  situation  of  Ireland  began  also  to  give  the 
minister  considerable  uneasiness  ;  by  Poyning's  law,  passed 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.,  and  extended  by  several  sub- 
sequent statutes,  the  legislature  of  that  country  had  been 
made  so  completely  dependent  on  the  British  government, 
that  it  was  become  a  mere  nullity.  An  unwise  and  unjust 
spirit  of  commercial  jealousy  induced  the  English  to  abuse 
advantages  which  they  had  obtained,  and  several  im- 
politic restrictions  were  imposed  on  Irish  commerce  and 
manufactures.  These  measures  produced  little  or  no  ad- 
vantage to  the  English,  while  they  crushed  the  rising  ener- 
gies of  the  sister  kingdom  ;  but  they  were  obstinately  main 
tained,  for  the  age  was  not  yet  sufficiently  enlightened  to 
discover  that  the  prosperity  of  one  country  was  intimately 


370  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

connected  with  that  of  the  other.  A  strong  party  had, 
however,  been  formed  in  Ireland  to  achieve  the  legislative 
independence  of  their  country,  and  they  gained  no  small  part 
of  their  object,  by  the  passing  of  the  octennial  act,  which 
limited  the  duration  of  Irish  parliaments  to  eight  years,  for 
they  had  been  previously  dissolved  only  on  the  demise  of 
the  crown. 

12.  In  the  East  Indies,  the  English  were  assailed  by  an 
enemy  more  formidable  than  any  they  had  hitherto  met  in 
that  quarter.  Hyder  Ally,  who  had  raised  himself  from  the 
rank  of  a  common  sepoy  to  that  of  a  sovereign  prince,  com- 
menced hostilities  against  the  company's  settlements,  and 
for  several  years  kept  them  in  a  state  of  incessant  alarm. 

13.  When  the  new  parliament  met,  the  people  imagined 
that  Mr.  Wilkes  would  be  liberated  to  take  his  seat,  and 
therefore  assembled  in  great  numbers  in  St.  George's  fields, 
round  the  king's  bench  prison,  in  order  to  conduct  him  to 
the  house  of  commons.  The  Surry  justices  took  the  alarm, 
and  read  the  riot  act,  but  the  multitude  refusing  to  disperse, 
the  military  were  called  out,  and  unfortunately  ordered  to 
fire.  One  man  was  killed  on  the  spot,  and  a  great  number 
were  wounded,  several  mortally.  It  happened  that  a  Scotch 
regiment  had  been  employed  in  this  lamentable  affair,  a 
circumstance  which  not  a  little  increased  the  public  indig- 
nation. Verdicts  of  wilful  murder  against  the  soldiery 
were  returned  by  the  different  inquests,  and  on  the  sub- 
sequent trials  several  of  the  soldiers  were  found  guilty  of 
murder. 

14.  The  government  by  no  means  participated  in  the 
popular  feeling;  not  only  were  pardons  granted  to  those 
who  had  been  convicted,  but  the  secretary  of  state,  lord 
Weymouth,  sent  a  letter  to  the  justices  thanking  them  for 
their  spirited  conduct.  This  document  was  published  by  Mr. 
Wilkes,  with  an  indignant  commentary,  in  which  he  termed 
the  affair  "  a  horrid  massacre,"  and  added  a  virulent  invec- 
tive against  the  entire  conduct  of  the  government.  15.  For 
this  publication  Mr.  Wilkes  was  expelled  the  house  of  com- 
mons, and  with  strange  inconsistency,  the  causes  assigned 
for  his  expulsion  included  not  only  his  late  offence,  but  the 
former  acts  for  which  he  had  already  atoned  by  undergoing 
judicial  punishment.  This  complication  of  charge  afforded 
just  grounds  of  complaint,  and  not  a  little  tended  to  give 
Wilkes  a  decided  superiority  over  his  opponents.  (A.  D. 
1769.)     The  freeholders  unanimously  re-elected  him,  but 


GEORGE    III.  371 

the  house  considered  the  election  void,  and  issued  a  new 
writ.  The  same  proceedings  were  twice  repeated  ;  until  at 
length  colonel  Luttrell  was  prevailed  upon  to  offer  himself 
as  candidate.  Wilkes  was  once  more  returned  by  an  im- 
mense majority,  the  votes  for  him  being  1143,  while  those 
for  his  opponent  amounted  only  to  269 ;  the  house  of  com- 
mons, notwithstanding,  declared  that  Luttrell  was  and  ought 
to  be  the  sitting  member. 

16.  This  was  considered,  with  some  show  of  justice,  a 
fatal  blow  to  the  liberties  of  the  subject ;  petitions  and  re- 
monstrances of  the  most  daring  nature  poured  in  from  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom  ;  the  press  teemed  with  the  most 
virulent  attacks  on  all  the  constituted  authorities,  some  went 
so  far  as  to  deny  the  legality  of  the  present  parliament,  and 
the  obligation  of  the  people  to  obey  its  laws.  An  anonymous 
writer,  named  Junius,  was  particularly  distinguished  by  the 
fierce  severity  of  his  attacks  on  the  ministry,  and  by  the 
superior  brilliancy  of  his  style,  which  still  preserves  his 
celebrated  letters  from  the  oblivion  into  which  party  pro- 
ductions usually  fall.  Meantime  the  disputes  with  the 
colonists  continued  to  be  maintained  with  unabated  zeal; 
and  the  Irish  parliament  showed  such  a  determination  to 
throw  off  the  yoke,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  elude  their 
demands  by  a  prorogation. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  How  was  the  tranquillity  of  the  country  disturbed  ? 

2.  What  circumstances  took  place  respecting  No.  45  of  the  North  Briton  ? 

3.  How  did  the  affair  terminate  ? 

4.  What  circumstances  led  to  disunion  between  England  and  the  American 

colonies  ? 

5.  How  was  the  Grenville  ministry  overthrown  ? 

6.  By  what  means  was  tranquillity  restored  ? 

7.  What  was  the  first  measure  of  the  Grafton  administration  ? 

8.  By  what  act  was  the  discontent  of  the  Americans  revived  ? 

9.  How  did  Wilkes  behave  on  the  change  of  ministry  ? 

10.  In  what  manner  did  the  Americans  conduct  themselves  ? 

11 .  Was  any  important  change  made  in  the  Irish  legislature  ? 

12.  Did  any  new  power  appear  in  the  East  Indies  ? 

13.  What  unfortunate  event  took  place  in  St.  George's  fields  ? 

14.  How  was  Wilkes  involved  in  a  new  contest  with  government? 

15.  What  was  the  decision  of  the  house  of  commons  respecting  the  Middlesex 

election  ? 
16  Did  this  decision  produce  any  unpleasant  results  ? 


372  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

SECTION  III. 

No  self-subjecting  force  of  soul  is  theirs, 

lhat  public  toil  as  noblest  honour  bears.—  Sterling. 

1.  (A.D.  1770.)  The  health  of  the  earl  of  Chatham  had 
been  long  in  such  a  state  as  to  prevent  him  from  exerting 
his  energies  for  the  benefit  of  his  country ;  he  had  the 
mortification  to  find  that  his  influence  was  lost  in  the 
cabinet,  and  his  popularity  forgotten  by  the  nation;  he 
therefore  resigned  his  office,  and  his  example  was  imitated 
by  the  duke  of  Grafton.  Lord  North  succeeded  the  lattei 
as  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  and  some  trifling  changes 
were  made  in  the  inferior  departments  of  government 
2.  Foreign  nations  seemed  to  have  lost  all  respect  for  a 
country  whose  councils  were  subject  to  such  sudden  vicis 
situdes,  and  the  subjects  of  the  realm  were  no  longei 
willing  to  pay  that  respect  to  the  laws  which  is  necessary 
to  the  well-being  of  a  state.  The  new  ministry  seemed  ill 
calculated  to  retrieve  the  honour  of  the  country  ;  they  per- 
mitted France  to  acquire  the  island  of  Corsica  without  ven- 
turing to  interfere,  and  tamely  submitted  to  an  insult  offered 
by  Spain  to  the  British  flag  in  the  affair  of  the  Falkland 
islands.  The  spirit  of  the  nation  however  forced  the 
ministry  to  make  some  exertions  in  the  latter  instance,  and 
the  matter  was  finally  adjusted  by  a  convention. 

3.  (A.D.  1771.)  The  debates  in  parliament  had  been 
hitherto  printed  surreptitiously,  as  their  publication  was 
deemed  a  breach  of  privilege.  The  interest  felt  by  the 
public  in  the  debates  on  the  Middlesex  election  induced 
the  printers  to  act  more  daringly  than  before,  and  at  length 
a  formal  complaint  was  made  in  the  house,  and  a  messenger 
was  sent  into  the  city  to  arrest  the  most  notorious  of  the 
offenders.  One  printer  having  been  seized  by  the  mes- 
senger, sent  for  a  constable,  who  carried  both  before  the 
lord  mayor  Mr.  Crosby.  That  gentleman,  with  the  alder- 
men Wilkes  and  Oliver,  not  only  discharged  the  printer, 
6ut  threatened  to  send  the  messenger  to  prison  unless  he 
found  bail  to  answer  for  his  appearance  on  a  charge  of 
illegal  arrest.  The  house  of  commons  received  the  news 
of  these  proceedings  with  the  most  violent  indignation ;  the 
lord  mayor  and  Oliver  were  sent  to  the  Tower,  and  Wilkes 
was  summoned  to  appear  at  the  bar  of  the  house.  But  an 
unexpected  difficulty  was  soon  raised ;  Wilkes  refused  to 
appear  unless  permitted  to  take  his  plaee  for  Middlesex, 


GEORGE    III.  373 

and  the  house  at  length  compromised  its  dignity,  by  ordering 
him  to  attend  on  the  8th  of  April,  and  then  adjourning  to  the 
9th.  Since  this  event  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  check 
the  publication  of  the  parliamentary  debates,  which  now 
constitute  the  most  important,  as  well  as  the  most  interesting, 
feature  in  the  periodical  press. 

4.  (A.  D.  1772.)  The  marriage  of  the  king's  brothers, 
the  dukes  of  Cumberland  and  Gloucester,  with  subjects  of 
the  realm,  led  to  the  enactment  of  the  royal  marriage  act, 
which  prohibited  any  of  the  descendants  of  George  II. 
from  marrying  before  the  age  of  twenty-five  without,  the 
consent  of  the  king  in  council.  An  act  was  also  passed  to 
abrogate  the  law  by  which  felons,  who  refused  to  plead, 
were  pressed  to  death ;  it  was  enacted  that,  for  the  future, 
those  who  did  not  plead  should  be  held  guilty  of  the  crimes 
laid  to  their  charge. 

5.  The  continent  of  Europe  was  the  scene  of  an  atrocious 
act  of  injustice  committed  by  three  crowned  heads  ;  the  first 
dismemberment  of  Poland  was  effected  by  an  iniquitous 
confederacy  between  the  emperor  of  Germany,  the  empress 
of  Russia,  and  the  king  of  Prussia ;  they  left  the  unfor- 
tunate monarch  of  the  country  little  more  than  a  nominal 
sovereignty,  and  even  of  this  he  was  subsequently  deprived 
by  the  royal  robbers,  and  the  name  of  Poland  blotted  from 
the  list  of  nations.  6.  About  the  same  time  the  king  of 
Sweden,  in  violation  of  the  most  solemn  obligations,  abro- 
gated the  free  constitution  of  his  country,  and  made  himself 
despotic.  7.  In  Denmark,  on  the  other  hand,  the  royal 
power  was  overthrown  by  a  vile  faction,  who  deprived  the 
king  of  his  authority,  murdered  his  ministers,  and  drove  his 
queen,  Matilda,  sister  to  the  king  of  England,  into  exile, 
where  grief  soon  terminated  her  sufferings. 

8.  The  planters  in  the  island  of  St.  Vincent  had  grossly 
ill-treated  the  Caribbs,  or  native  inhabitants,  who  had  been 
allowed  to  possess  their  lands  in  quiet  while  the  colony 
remained  under  the  dominion  of  the  French.  A  civil  war 
ensued,  and  the  planters,  notwithstanding  all  their  advan- 
tages, were  worsted ;  application  for  assistance  against  the 
rebellious  savages,  as  they  thought  fit  to  designate  men 
who  refused  to  submit  tamely  to  open  .robbery,  was  made 
to  the  British  parliament ;  but  the  opposition  was  so  strong, 
that  the  advocates  of  the  planters  were  forced  to  yield,  and 
peace  was  subsequently  restored  on  equitable  conditions. 

9.  (A.  D.  1773.)    Ireland  and  Scotland  were,  about  this 

21 


374  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

time,  drained  of  a  large  portion  of  their  peasantry,  driven  to 
emigration  by  the  cruel  rapacity  of  the  landlords  ;  the  exiles 
sought  an  asylum  in  America,  and  supplied  that  country, 
at  the  moment  it  was  about  to  commence  its  great  struggle 
for  independence,  with  a  hardy  population,  animated  by  the 
most  bitter  feelings  of  resentment  against  the  country  which 
they  had  been  forced  to  abandon. 

10.  The  voyages  of  discovery  undertaken  during  the 
early  part  of  this  reign  were  very  creditable  to  the  adminis- 
tration by  which  they  were  sent  out.  Captain  Phipps 
made  an  ineffectual  effort  to  discover  a  north-west  passage 
to  the  East  Indies  ;  Byron,  Wallis,  Carteret,  and  Cook  suc- 
cessively navigated  the  globe,  and  discovered  several  new 
islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  last  named  navigator  was 
killed  during  his  third  voyage  at  Owhyhee,  in  an  unfortu- 
nate dispute  with  the  natives. 

11.  The  determination  of  the  Americans  to  use  no 
articles  on  which  a  duty  was  levied  by  the  British  parlia- 
ment was  still  obstinately  maintained,  and  the  presence  of 
the  British  troops  in  Boston  kept  alive  those  feelings  of  ani- 
mosity which  more  conciliatory  conduct  might  have  extin- 
guished. In  resisting  a  violent  act  of  aggression,  a  party 
of  the  military  were  compelled  to  fire  on  the  populace,  of 
whom  three  were  killed  and  five  dangerously  wounded. 
The  townsmen  assembled  on  the  following  night,  and  were 
with  much  difficulty  prevented  from  proceeding  to  extremi- 
ties ;  but  on  the  day  that  the  unfortunate  victims  were  in- 
terred, most  of  the  shops  in  Boston  were  closed,  the  bells  of 
all  the  churches  in  the  town  and  neighbourhood  rung 
muffled  peals  ;  and  the  funerals  were  escorted  by  all  the 
citizens,  of  every  rank,  in  mournful  procession.  Captain 
Preston,  who  had  commanded  the  party,  was  tried  for  mur- 
der, and  it  is  highly  creditable  to  the  American  character, 
that  his  defence  was  intrusted  to  Adams  and  Quincy,  the 
most  violent  advocates  of  freedom  ;  and  that  a  jury  com- 
posed of  townsmen  acquitted  the  prisoner  without  hesitation. 

12.  These  proceedings  were  naturally  considered  by  the 
provincial  governors  as  strong  evidences  of  a  rebellious 
spirit,  and  in  themselves  almost  acts  of  treason ;  they  con- 
sequently, in  their  public  and  private  letters,  described  them 
in  no  measured  terms.  Mr.  Hutchinson,  the  governor  of 
Massachusetts,  and  his  lieutenant,  Mr.  Oliver,  had  written 
several  letters,  in  which  they  severely  condemned  the 
American  leaders,  called  for  the  adoption  of  the  most  vigor- 


GEORGE  III.  375 

ous  measures,  and  even  recommended  the  "  taking  off"  of 
the  most  active  opponents  of  government.  Of  these  letters 
Dr.  Franklin  obtained  possession,  and  he  immediately  laid 
them  before  the  provincial  assembly  of  Massachusetts. 
The  perusal  of  these  documents  excited  violent  indignation  ; 
it  was  unanimously  resolved,  "  that  the  tendency  of  the 
said  letters  was  to  overthrow  the  constitution  of  this  govern- 
ment, and  to  introduce  arbitrary  power  into  the  province ; 
and  it  was  further  voted,  "  that  a  petition  should  be  imme- 
diately sent  to  the  king,  to  remove  Hutchinson  and  Oliver 
for  ever  from  the  government  of  the  province."  The  peti- 
tion was  immediately  transmitted,  and  Franklin  came  over 
to  England  to  support  it  in  person  before  the  privy  council. 

13.  (A.D.  1774.)  On  the  day  appointed  for  hearing  the 
petition,  Mr.  Wedderburne,  the  solicitor-general,  appeared 
on  behalf  of  the  governor,  and  assailed  Franklin  for  the 
treachery  of  publishing  a  private  correspondence,  in  one  of 
the  most  elaborate  invectives  ever  uttered.  Less  fervid  elo- 
quence would  have  been  sufficient  to  sway  the  determination 
of  the  council ;  the  petition  was  declared  to  be  scandalous 
and  vexatious,  and  Franklin  was  dismissed  from  the  office 
which  he  held  of  postmaster-general  of  the  colonies. 

14.  The  refusal  of  the  Americans  to  purchase  tea  had 
led  to  a  vast  accumulation  of  that  article  in  the  storehouses 
of  the  East  India  company ;  in  order  to  afford  them  some 
relief,  a  drawback  of  the  import  duty  was  allowed  them  on 
all  tea  that  should  be  exported  ;  and  the  ministry  believed 
that  the  colonists  would  gladly  j>ay  the  small  tax  of  three 
pence  per  pound  on  an  article  which  they  could  only  pro- 
cure by  smuggling,  and  at  an  enormous  expense.  But  those 
who  had  formed  such  expectations  had  sadly  miscalculated 
the  spirit  and  firmness  of  the  Americans  ;  resolutions  were 
adopted  in  the  several  provinces,  declaring  that  all  who  aided 
or  abetted  in  the  landing  or  vending  of  the  expected  tea, 
should  be  deemed  enemies  of  their  country  ;  and  the  majo- 
rity of  the  consignees,  terrified  at  these  proceedings,  sent 
back  the  cargoes.  In  ♦Boston,  the  agents  of  the  company 
were  dependants  on  the  governor,  and  trusting  to  the  pro- 
tection of  the  military,  resolved  to  persevere  :  but  during  the 
night  the  leading  patriots,  disguised  as  Indians,  boarded  the 
vessels,  and  emptied  the  tea-chests  into  the  wrater. 

15.  The  news  of  this  proceeding  was  received  by  the 
British  ministry  with  unmixed  pleasure  ;  they  thought  that 
Boston   the  great  focus  of  American  sedition,  having  been 


376  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

guilty  of  a  flagrant  delinquency,  was  now  completely  at  theii 
mercy,  and  they  prepared  to  visit  it  with  exemplary  punish- 
ment. A  bill  for  shutting  up  the  port  of  Boston,  and  anothei 
for  annulling  the  charter  of  Massachusetts,  were  passed^with 
little  opposition ;  and  these  harsh  measures  were  soon  fol- 
lowed by  a  third,  of  a  still  more  dangerous  tendency  ;  it 
enacted,  that  "if  any  person  were  indicted  for  murder  or 
any  capital  offence,  committed  in  the  province  of  Massachu- 
setts, in  aiding  the  magistracy,  such  person  or  persons  might 
be  sent  by  the  governor  to  some  other  colony  or  to  Great 
Britain  for  trial."  It  was  in  vain  that  colonel  Barre,  and 
some  others,  showed  that  this  measure  directly  tended  to 
sanction  military  outrage  by  the  hope  of  impunity  ;  it  passed 
through  both  houses  with  overwhelming  majorities,  and  im- 
mediately received  the  royal  assent. 

16.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  burst  of  indignation  with 
which  the  first  intelligence  of  these  harsh  measures  was  re- 
ceived in  the  New  England  states.  They  sternly  refused 
to  obey  laws  which  deprived  them  of  their  natural  and 
chartered  rights,  and  made  active  preparations  to  resist  theii 
enforcement.  All  the  other  colonies,  except  Georgia,  zeal- 
ously adopted  the  cause  of  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  and 
agreed  to  discontinue  their  commerce  with  Great  Britain  until 
the  obnoxious  statutes  should  be  repealed.  To  give  greater 
effect  to  their  remonstrances,  an  assembly  of  delegates  from 
the  different  states  was  organized  by  Franklin  and  other 
provincial  leaders,  which,  under  the  name  of  a  congress, 
met  in  Philadelphia.  The  congress  promised  every  assist 
ance  to  the  New  Englanders,  and  prepared  a  spirited  peti- 
tion to  be  laid  before  his  majesty,  soliciting  a  redress  of 
grievances.  They  also  published  addresses  to  the  British 
people,  to  the  Canadians,  and  to  the  West  Indian  colonies 
vindicating  the  purity  of  their  motives,  and  declaring  theii 
fixed  resolution  not  to  submit  to  oppression. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  Were  any  changes  made  in  the  ministry  ? 

2.  Did  any  remarkable  events  occur  abroad  ? 

3.  By  what  train  of  events  was  the  right  of  printing  the  parliamentary  de- 

bates established  ? 

4.  What  remarkable  acts  of  parliament  were  passed  ? 

5.  Did  any  of  the  European  powers  combine  to  ruin  Poland 

6.  What  revolution  took  place  in  Sweden  ? 

7.  Did  any  thing  remarkable  occur  in  Denmark  1 

8.  What  were  the  circumstances  of  the  Caribb  war? 

9.  On  what  account  did  emigration  to  America  increase? 


GEORGE    III.  377 

10.  Were  any  remarkable  voyages  of  discovery  undertaken  ? 

11.  What  military  outrage  created  a  great  sensation  in  Boston  ? 

12.  How  was  the  assembly  of  Massachusetts  placed  in  open  hostility  to  iU 

governor  ? 

13.  How  was  the  Massachusetts  remonstrance  treated  by  the  privy  council* 

14.  How  did  the  Americans  treat  the  tea  exported  from  England  ? 

15.  What  vindictive  measures  were  sanctioned  by  the  British  parliament  ? 

16.  How  did  the  Americans  act  in  consequence  ? 


SECTION  IV. 

The  hostile  storms  but  rage  awhile, 

And  the  tired  contest  ends  J 
But  ah  !  how  hard  to  reconcile 

The  toes  who  once  were  friends. —  W/iitehead. 

1.  (A.D.  1775.)  An  opportunity  of  retracting  their  steps 
was  afforded  to  the  British  ministers  by  the  presentation  of 
the  petition  from  the  congress  at  Philadelphia  ;  especially  as 
a  new  parliament  had  been  summoned  in  the  room  of  that 
which  had  sanctioned  the  late  severe  measures  of  coercion. 
It  was  reported  that  his  majesty  had  received  the  petition 
most  graciously,  and  the  public  consequently  indulged  in 
expectations  of  a  reconciliation  between  the  colonies  and  the 
mother  country.  These  hopes  were  destined  to  be  disap- 
pointed; the  houses  of  parliament,  in  their  address  to  the 
king  at  the  opening  of  the  session,  stated  that  "  a  rebellion 
actually  existed  in  the  province  of  Massachusetts,"  and  in 
the  usual  style  offered  to  assist  in  its  suppression  with  their 
lives  and  fortunes.  A  few  members,  justly  anxious  to  avert 
the  hazards  of  war,  laboured  hard  to  change  the  determina- 
tions of  the  minister ;  in  particular  Mr.  Burke  proposed  a 
plan  for  conciliating  America,  in  a  speech  of  unrivalled  elo- 
quence ;  these  efforts  were  vain,  and  nothing  now  remained 
but  an  appeal  to  the  sword.  Franklin  also,  having  been 
long  employed  in  a  kind  of  treaty  with  the  ministers,  finding 
them  determined  to  persevere  in  their  insane  resolutions, 
broke  off  the  conference,  and  sailed  for  America,  resolved  to 
share  the  fortunes  and  hazards  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

2.  The  New  Englanders  were  determined  to  attack  the 
royal  forces  as  soon  as  ever  they  should  march  out  of  Bos- 
ton, and  their  adherence  to  this  resolution  was  soon  put  to 
the  test.  On  the  night  of  the  eighteenth  of  April,  a  detach- 
ment was  sent  from  Boston  to  seize  some  military  stores, 
which  the  insurgents  had  collected  at  Concord.  In  spite  of 
every  precaution,  the  country  was  alarmed,  and  when  the 
advanced  guard  arrived  early  on  the  following  morning  at 
Lexington,  they  found  a  small  body  of  provincials  prepared 


378  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

to  oppose  them.  A  brief  skirmish  ensued,  in  which  the 
Americans  were  defeated  with  some  loss,  and  the  detach- 
ment, proceeding  to  Concord,  destroyed  all  the  stores  that 
they  found.  But  they  were  not  permitted  to  return  unmo- 
lested ;  the  militia,  assembling  in  force,  furiously  assailed 
their  flanks  and  rear  ;  a  constant  fire  of  rifles  was  maintained 
from  every  hedge  and  every  wall  which  skirted  the  road, 
and  had  not  a  regiment  under  the  command  of  lord  Percy 
been  sent  from  Boston  to  cover  their  retreat,  the  entire  de- 
tachment would  have  been  destroyed.  It  was  late  in  the 
evening  when  the  British  forces  arrived  at  last  within  the 
lines  of  their  own  fortifications,  having  lost  65  killed,  180 
wounded,  and  28  prisoners. 

3.  Blood  having  been  thus  drawn,  the  whole  of  the  dis- 
contented colonies  boldly  prepared  to  maintain  the  inevita- 
ble contest.  Volunteers  enrolled  themselves  in  every  pro- 
vince, and  the  king's  stores  were  everywhere  seized  and 
appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  insurgents.  The  fortress  of 
Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  were  surprised  by  a  body  of 
militia,  and  the  Americans  thus  obtained  possession  of  100 
pieces  of  cannon  and  a  proportionate  quantity  of  ammunition. 
The  towns  and  villages  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Boston  were 
garrisoned,  and  that  city  thus  placed  under  a  stric* 
blockade. 

4.  General  Gage,  who  commanded  the  garrison,  soon  re- 
ceived reinforcements  from  Great  Britain,  under  the  com- 
mand of  generals  Howe,  Burgoyne,  and  Clinton.  He  resolved 
therefore  to  commence  active  operations  ;  but  before  com- 
mitting himself  to  the  chances  of  war,  he  issued  a  procla- 
mation, offering  pardon  to  all  who  should  lay  down  their 
arms,  except  Messrs.  Hancock  and  Adams.  The  Americans 
treated  the  proclamation  with  contempt,  and  soon  after 
elected  Mr.  Hancock  president  of  congress. 

5.  In  Charlestown,  a  place  situated  to  the  north  of  Boston, 
is  an  eminence  called  Bunker's  hill,  which  in  some  degree 
commands  the  harbour  ;  this  post  the  Americans  resolved  to 
occupy;  and  a  party  was  sent  over  from  Cambridge  to  in- 
trench themselves  on  the  height.  This  they  effected  with 
such  rapidity  and  silence  during  one  of  the  short  nights  of 
June,  that  the  appearance  of  their  works  at  daybreak  was 
the  first  notice  of  their  presence.  The  importance  of  dis- 
lodging the  enemy  was  evident  to  the  British  generals,  and 
a  detachment  under  the  command  of  Howe  was  sent  to  the 
peninsula  in  boats.     A  tremendous  cannonade  was  opened 


GEORGE    III, 


379 


on  the  provincials  from  the  ships  and  floating  batteries  in  the 
harbour,  and  from  Cop's-hill  in  Boston,  but  the  provincials 
maintained  their  post  with  undaunted  resolution.  They  re- 
served their  fire  until  the  royal  forces  had  advanced  within 
sixty  yards  of  their  line,  and  then  poured  in  so  close  and 
murderous  a  discharge,  that  the  assailants  were  broken,  and 
fled  to  the  water's  edge.  A  second  assault  was  again  de- 
feated by  the  well-aimed  and  steady  fire  of  the  provincials ; 
but  when  Howe  rallied  his  men  to  the  third  attempt,  the 
ammunition  of  the  Americans  began  to  fail,  and  after  an  ob- 
stinate resistance  they  were  compelled  to  retreat.  In  this 
fierce  contest  the  provincials  lost  about  450  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing  ;  but  the  victors  suffered  still  more  severely  ; 
their  loss  amounted  to  more  than  a  thousand  killed  and 
wounded,  of  whom  79  were  officers.  The  unusual  number 
of  officers  that  fell  is  attributed  to  the  fatal  aim  which  the 
provincials  took  with  their  rifles,  and  to  the  belief  generally 
prevalent  in  America,  that  the  war  was  odious  to  the  great 
body  of  the  English  people,  and  only  supported  by  the  no- 
bility and  gentry,  from  which  classes  the  British  officers  are 
generally  selected. 

6.  Another  effort  to  avert  the  horrors  of  war  was  made 
by  the  congress,  and  a  second  pathetic  petition  forwarded 
to  his  majesty.  It  was  intrusted  for  presentation  to  Mr. 
Penn,  a  descendant  of  the  great  founder  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
one  of  the  chief  proprietors  in  that  province.  But  public 
and  private  remonstrances  were  equally  ineffectual,  the  peti- 
tion was  not  even  honoured  with  an  answer. 

7.  The  Americans  were  far  from  confining  their  exertions 
to  the  pacific  means  of  petition  and  remonstrance  ;  with  a 
happy  unanimity,  they  elected  George  Washington,  esquire, 
commander-in-chief  of  all  their  forces  ;  and  sent  two  bodies 
of  militia  under  generals  Montgomery  and  Arnold  to  drive 
the  English  from  Canada.  After  a  brief  but  brilliant  career, 
Montgomery  was  killed  in  an  attempt  to  storm  Quebec,  and 
the  cruelties  perpetrated  by  the  infamous  Arnold  so  alien- 
ated the  Canadians,  that  no  hope  remained  of  its  uniting 
with  the  revolted  provinces. 

8.  (A.D.  1776.)  Boston  was  closely  blockaded  by  Wash 
ington,  and  the  garrison  was  soon  reduced  to  the  greatest 
distress.  Howe,  who  had  succeeded  Gage  in  the  command, 
though  a  general  of  great  ability,  found  himself  unequal  to 
the  difficulties  of  his  situation.  The  inhabitants  of  Boston, 
as  well  as  the  garrison,  had  to  sustain  the  horrors  of  famine 


380  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

during  the  winter ;  and  early  in  the  spring  the  Americans 
opened  batteries  on  the  neighbouring  hills,  which  swept  the 
town  and  harbour.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  town 
was  evacuated  by  the  English,  and  Washington,  entering  it, 
was  hailed  by  the  citizens  as  their  deliverer.  9.  An  expe- 
dition undertaken  by  the  British  against  Charleston,  *n 
South  Carolina,  signally  failed.  The  general  (Clinton)  was 
unable  to  second  the  naval  operations  directed  by  sir  Peter 
Parker  ;  and,  after  a  useless  exhibition  of  bravery,  the  ad- 
miral was  forced  to  retire  with  the  loss  of  a  ship  of  war, 
which  he  burned,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

10.  The  Americans,  and  the  greater  part  of  their  leaders, 
had  hitherto  entertained  hopes  of  peacefully  accommodating 
their  disputes  with  England  ;  but  the  intelligence  that  the 
British  minister  had  hired  a  body  of  German  mercenaries 
for  their  subjugation  wrought  so  powerfully  on  their  excited 
feelings,  that  they  determined  to  renounce  their  allegiance. 
(July  4th,  1776.)  On  the  motion  of  Richard  Henry  Lee, 
member  for  Virginia,  the  congress  published  their  declara- 
tion of  independence,  and  elected  the  colonies  into  free  and 
sovereign  states.  At  the  very  time  that  this  resolution  was 
adopted,  a  British  fleet  was  hovering  round  their  coast,  a 
British  army  was  preparing  to  invade  their  territories,  and 
symptoms  of  discouragement  and  disaffection  were  percep- 
tible in  their  own  soldiery.  Still  the  congress  refused  to 
despair,  and  prepared  to  support  with  spirit  the  independ- 
ence which  they  had  so  courageously  asserted. 

11.  General  Howe  did  not  long  remain  idle  at  Halifax, 
whither  he  had  retired  after  the  evacuation  of  Boston  ;  he 
sailed  for  New  York,  and  being  there  joined  by  his  brother, 
lord  Howe,  with  a  considerable  fleet,  he  made  himself  mas- 
ter of  that  city  and  Long  Island.  Following  up  his  tri- 
umphs, he  expelled  the  provincial  army  from  the  Jerseys, 
and  compelled  them  to  take  refuge  beyond  the  Delaware. 
This  rapid  success  raised  the  hopes  of  tiie  British  to  the 
highest  pitch ;  the  immediate  conquest  of  America  was 
looked  upon  as  absolutely  certain,  and  little  seemed  wanting 
to  complete  so  desirable  a  consummation.  12.  But  they 
soon  found  that  Washington,  though  defeated,  was  not  sub 
dued,  and  that  his  knowledge  of  the  country  in  a  great 
degree  compensated  for  his  inferiority  of  numbers.  Cross- 
ing the  Delaware  in  the  middle  of  December,  he  attacked  a 
body  of  Hessians  at  Trenton,  and  made  900  prisoners  ;  and 


GEORGE    III. 


38  i 


then  while  lord  Cornwallis  was  advancing  to  recover  Tren* 
ton,  the  indefatigable  Americans  suddenly  appeared  in  his 
lordship's  rear,  and  destroyed  or  captured  the  greater  part 
of  a  detachment  under  colonel  Mawhood. 

13.  A  very  extraordinary  incident  took  place,  about  this 
time,  in  the  East  Indies.  The  council  of  Mgdras  had  plunged 
the  company  into  an  unjustifiable  war  with  the  rajah  of 
Tanjore,  whom  they  attacked  and  took  prisoner.  Lord 
Pigot  was  sent  out  as  governor,  with  positive  orders  to  re- 
store the  rajah,  but  he  had  scarcely  effected  this  object, 
when  he  was  seized  and  thrown  into  prison  by  certain 
members  of  the  council.  This  indignity  worked  so  bitterly 
on  his  feelings  that  he  sickened  and  died,  leaving  behind 
him  a  higher  character  for  honour  and  integrity  than  most 
of  those  who  have  made  fortunes  in  the  East.  His  perse- 
cutors were  subsequently  brought  to  trial  and  punished,  but 
not  with  severity  proportioned  to  their  deserts. 

14.  (A.D.  1777.)  The  caution  of  Washington  prevented 
any  decisive  engagement  in  the  early  part  of  the  new  cam- 
paign ;  but  the  march  of  Howe  towards  Philadelphia  induced 
the  American  general  to  hazard  a  battle.  The  armies  met 
near  the  Brandywine  river,  and  after  a  long  and  fierce  battle 
the  English  obtained  a  decisive  victory.  Philadelphia  was 
immediately  surrendered,  and  occupied  by  the  English 
forces  :  a  second  attempt  made  by  Washington  to  retrieve 
his  losses  was  defeated ;  and  by  the  aid  of  the  fleet,  Howe 
reduced  the  fortifications  which  the  Americans  had  con- 
structed on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  and  opened  free 
communication  with  his  supplies. 

15.  But  the  successes  of  the  English  in  the  southern  states 
were  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  disaster  they  expe- 
rienced in  the  northern.  Early  in  the  year,  general  Bur- 
goyne,  with  an  army  of  7000  men,  and  a  large  body  of 
Indians,  received  orders  to  advance  from  Canada  into  the 
state  of  New  York,  and  co-operate  with  a  body  of  troops 
which  Howe  was  to  send  to  his  assistance.  This  plan,  if 
successful,  would  cut  ofT  the  New  England  states  from  the 
rest  of  the  union,  and  expose  them  to  be  overrun  and  con 
quered  in  detail.  Burgoyne's  part  in  this  expedition  was 
executed  with  equal  skill  and  intrepidity ;  he  marched 
boldly  through  the  country,  bearing  down  all  opposition. 
But  the  Americans  soon  assembled  an  army  in  his  front,  and 
as  he  had  advanced  to  a  distance  from  his  supplies,  his 
situation  soon  became  very  hazardous.    The  operations  of  the 


382  HISTORY   OF    ENGLAND. 

army,  whose  assistance  he  expected,  were  miserably  con- 
ducted ;  sir  Henry  Clinton  did  not  leave  New  York  till 
October,  and  even  then,  instead  of  hastening  forward  to  his 
destination,  he  employed  his  troops  in  burning  the  unre- 
sisting towns  and  villages,  and  devastating  the  country. 
Whether  this  tardiness  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  weakness  of 
the  general,  or  to  the  insufficiency  of  the  orders  sent  out  by 
the  ministry,  is  not  easily  ascertained,  but  from  whatever 
cause,  it  proved  the  ruin  of  the  entire  expedition.  On  the 
15th  of  October,  general  Vaughan,  with  the  van  of  Clinton's 
army,  could  have  rescued  Burgoyne  from  all  his  difficulties, 
but  Vaughan  stopped  to  plunder  and  burn  the  little  town  of 
iEsopus,  and  before  he  was  again  prepared  to  advance, 
Burgoyne  and  his  army  were  prisoners  of  war  to  the  Ameri- 
can army  under  the  command  of  general  Gates. 

16.  Burgoyne,  depending  on  the  advance  of  the  army 
from  New  York,  had  allowed  himself  to  be  cooped  up  in 
Saratoga  ;  his  provisions  were  exhausted,  his  ammunition 
beginning  to  fail,  his  troops  dispirited,  and  his  lines  inca- 
pable of  long  defence.  He  therefore  surrendered  on  the 
condition  that  his  troops,  after  having  laid  down  their  arms, 
should  be  sent  home,  provided  that  they  should  hot  serve 
again  in  America  during  the  present  contest.  Burgoyne 
returned  to  England  on  his  parole  only  to  experience  greater 
mortifications  ;  the  leaders  of  administration  threw  all  the 
blame  of  a  failure,  attributable  solely  to  themselves,  on  the 
unfortunate  general ;  he  was  refused  admittance  into  the 
presence  of  the  sovereign,  denied  the  justice  of  a  court 
martial,  and  subjected  to  a  series  of  petty  persecutions 
infinitely  more  disgraceful  to  the  ministry  than  to  their 
victim.  17.  General  Gates,  after  his  victory,  advanced  to 
check  the  outrages  committed  by  Clinton's  soldiers ;  sir 
Henry  retreated  to  New  York  before  the  victorious  army, 
and  the  American  general  was  consequently  enabled  to  send 
such  a  reinforcement  to  Washington's  army,  as  made  it 
once  more  a  match  for  that  of  Howe,  and  sufficient  to 
protect  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  from  the  ravages  of 
the  enemy. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  How  were  the  hopes  of  the  friends  of  peace  disappointed  ? 

2.  What  were  the  circumstances  of  the  affair  at  Lexington  ? 

3.  Did  the  Americans  begin  the  war  vigorously  ? 

4.  How  was  the  proclamation  of  general  Gage  treated  ? 

5.  What  were  the  circumstances  of  the  battle  of  Bunker's  hill? 


GEORGE    III.  383 

6.  Were  any  efforts  made  to  restore  peace  ? 

7.  How  did  the  invasion  of  Canada  terminate  ? 

8.  Why  was  Boston  evacuated  by  the  British  ? 

9.  Did  the  expedition  against  Charleston  succeed  ? 

10.  Under  what  circumstances  did  the  Americans  publish  the  declaration  oi 

independence  ? 

11.  What  successes  did  general  Howe  obtain  ? 

12.  Was  Washington  dispirited  by  his  losses  ? 

13.  Did  any  remarkable  circumstance  occur  in  the  East  Indies  ? 

14.  Where  was  Washington  defeated  ? 

15.  What  led  to  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne's  army  ? 

16.  How  was  Burgoyne  treated  ? 

17.  How  did  Gates  use  his  victory  ? 


SECTION  V. 


Shall  Chatham  die,  and  be  forgot?    Oh  no  ! 

Warm  from  its  source  let  grateful  sorrow  flow ; 

His  matchless  ardour  tired  each  fear-struck  mind, 

His  genius  soared  when  Britons  droop'd  and  pined.  —  Oarrick, 

1 .  (A.D.  1778.)  The  event  of  which  the  ministers  had  been 
vainly  warned  from  the  commencement  of  the  unfortunate 
contest  into  which  they  had  rashly  precipitated  the  country, 
at  length  took  place.  France  acknowledged  the  independence 
of  the  United  States,  and  entered  into  a  close  alliance  with 
the  revolted  colonies.  Before  the  news  of  this  treaty  could 
reach  America,  lord  North  introduced  two  conciliatory  bills 
into  the  British  parliament,  granting  the  provincials  every 
thing  that  they  had  demanded  before  their  declaration  of 
independence.  In  the  debates  that  ensued,  the  minister 
found  some  of  his  former  supporters  more  virulent  antago- 
nists than  the  opposition — they  taunted  him  for  deserting 
the  high  principles  of  prerogative  and  British  supremacy 
which  he  had  hitherto  maintained,  and  complained  bitterly 
of  the  deception  by  which  he  had  gained  their  support.  The 
bills,  however,  passed  the  lower  house,  but  their  progress 
through  the  upper  was  marked  by  an  incident  that  must  Hot 
be  carelessly  passed  over.  It  was  known  that  the  duke  of 
Richmond  was  of  opinion  that  peace  should  be  purchased 
even  by  acknowledging  the  independence  of  America,  and 
that  he  intended  to  propound  these  sentiments  during  the 
discussion.  2.  The  venerable  earl  of  Chatham,  sinking 
under  the  weight  of  years  and  bodily  infirmities,  attended 
in  his  place  for  the  purpose  of  protesting  against  the  dis- 
memberment of  an  empire  to  whose  greatness  he  had  so 
largely  contributed,  and  deprecated  such  a  proceeding  with 
great  warmth  and  eloquence.  The  duke  of  Richmond  hav- 
ing answered  this  speech,  the  earl  rose  to  reply,  but  ihe 
powers  of  nature  were  exhausted,  he  fell  on  the  floor  of  t>« 


384  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

house  in  the  attempt  to  utter  his  sentiments,  and  being 
removed  to  his  favourite  country-seat,  expired  in  a  short 
time  after.  3.  The  parliament  paid  merited  honour  to  the 
memory  of  the  most  successful  and  able  minister  that  Eng- 
land had  hitherto  produced ;  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand 
pounds  was  granted  for  the  payment  of  his  debts,  a  pension 
of  four  thousand  pounds  settled  on  his  heirs  ;  his  remains 
were  interred  with  great  pomp  in  Westminster  Abbey,  and 
a  monument  erected  to  his  memory  at  the  public  expense. 

4.  Commissioners  had  been  sent  out  to  propose  measures 
of  reconciliation  to  the  Americans  when  it  was  too  late  ;  of 
course,  their  mission  signally  failed  ;  the  congress  would 
not  even  listen  to  terms  unless  the  recognition  of  their  inde- 
pendence formed  a  preliminary  article,  and  the  commis- 
sioners, having  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  bribe  some 
of  the  American  deputies,  were  dismissed  with  mingled 
contempt  and  indignation. 

5.  The  first  hostile  collision  between  France  and  England 
took  place  at  sea ;  admiral  Keppel  attacked  a  French  squad- 
ron under  the  command  of  D'Orvilliers,  but,  being  badly 
supported  by  sir  Hugh  Palliser,  the  second  in  comnrmnd, 
obtained  no  decisive  success.  Advantage  was  taken  of  this 
circumstance  by  the  ministry  to  crush  Keppel,  who  had 
been  long  their  political  opponent,  and  at  their  instigation 
Palliser,  preferred  a  charge  of  misconduct  against  his  com- 
mander. But  the  verdict  of  the  court-martial  disappointed 
their  expectations ;  Keppel  was  honourably  acquitted,  and 
Palliser  being  subsequently  brought  to  trial  for  disobedience 
to  orders,  was  partially  condemned,  and  but  for  the  interpo- 
sition of  the  entire  power  of  the  ministry,  would  have  been 
subjected  to  a  more  ignominious  verdict.* 

6.  (A.D.  1779.)  The  Americans,  having  now  obtained  so 
powerful  an  ally  as  France,  fondly  hoped  that  the  war  would 
be  terminated  in  a  single  campaign.     Great,  therefore,  was 

*  This  year  a  bold  adventurer,  of  the  name  of  Paul  Jones,  kept  all  the  west- 
ern coast  of  the  island  in  alarm.  He  landed  at  Whitehaven,  where  he  burned 
a  ship  in  the  harbour,  and  even  attempted  to  bum  the  town.  He  afterwards 
landed  in  Scotland,  and  plundered  the  house  of  the  earl  of  Selkirk.  He  some 
time  after  fought  a  bloody  battle  with  captain  Pearson,  of  the  Serapis,  whom 
he  compelled  to  submit:  and  so  shattered  was  his  own  ship  in  the  engage- 
ment, that  he  had  no  sooner  quitted  her,  in  order  to  take  possession  of  his 
prize,  than  she  went  to  the  bottom.  Captain  Farmer,  too,  of  the  Quebec, 
ibught  a  no  less  desperate  battle  with  a  French  ship  of  greatly  superior  force. 
He  continued  the  engagement,  with  unremitted  fury,  till  his  own  ship  acc: 
dentally  took  fire,  and  was  blown  into  the  air,  together  with  himself  ana 
most  of  the  crew. 


GEORGE    lit.  3$5 

their  mortification  to  find  the  English  superior  during  the 
entire  year.  Clinton  maintained  his  defensive  position  in 
New  York,  and  baffled  all  the  attempts  of  Washington  to 
force  an  engagement;  while  in  the  southern  states,  Georgia 
was  subdued  by  colonel  Campbell,  aided  by  admiral  Parker, 
and  the  attempts  made  to  recover  it  by  the  American  general, 
Lineoln,  and  the  French  admiral,  D'Estaing,  were  signally 
defeated. 

7.  But  the  honour  of  England  was  not  similarly  main- 
tained in  other  quarters  ;  several  islands  of  the  West  Indies 
were  captured  by  the  French  ;  and  the  united  fleets  of  France 
and  Spain,  for  the  latter  eountry  was  now  united  to  the  ene- 
mies of  Britain,  swept  the  ehannel,  and  insulted  the  coasts 
with  impunity.  Lord  Sandwich,  the  first  lord  of  the  admi- 
ralty, was  a  man  notoriously  unfit  for  his  situation  ;  but  his 
colleagues,  with  the  blind  obstinacy  which  characterized  all 
their  measures,  determined  to  retain  him  in  offiee  ;  even 
though  they  were  aware,  that  by  his  neglect,  Plymouth  was 
left  in  such  a  defenceless  state,  that  its  dockyards  and  arsenal 
were  only  saved  from  destruction  by  the  ignorance  of  the 
admirals  of  the  combined  fleet. 

8.  In  Ireland  an  important  revolution  commenced,  which 
though  it  terminated  bloodlessly,  threatened  at  one  period 
to  have  caused  a  separation  between  the  two  countries. 
The  greater  part  of  the  army  necessary  for  the  defence  of 
that  country  had  been  withdrawn  to  assist  in  the  subjugation 
of  America  ;  and  when  the  French  and  Spanish  fleets 
menaced  the  island  with  invasion,  there  were  no  preparations 
made  for  its  defence.  The  people,  left  to  themselves,  showed 
spirit  worthy  of  the  crisis;  companies  of  volunteers  were 
embodied  in  every  town  and  district ;  arms  were  at  first 
cheerfully  supplied  by  the  government ;  officers  were  chosen 
by  election  ;  and  the  patriotic  earl  of  Charlemont  appointed 
commander-in-chief  of  the  independent  companies.  When 
England  recovered  her  wonted  superiority  by  sea,  the  fear 
of  invasion  was  removed,  but  the  volunteers  retained  their 
arms  and  preserved  their  organization.  They  had  learned 
the  secret  of  their  strength,  and  were  determined  to  effect  the 
regeneration  of  their  country,  by  establishing  the  indepen- 
dence of  her  parliament  and  the  freedom  of  her  commerce 
This  was  a  new  and  unexpected  difficulty  to  the  ministry  ; 
but,  pursuing  consistently  their  steady  course  of  narrow  and 
illiberal  policy,  they  refused  to  make  any  concession,  and 
thus  brought  Ireland  to  the  very  brink  of  a  revolution. 

2K 


385  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

9.  (1780.)  Holland  was  soon  added  to  the  enemies  of 
England ;  Mr.  Laurens,  who  had  been  president  of  con- 
gress, was  taken  by  a  British  cruiser,  and  the  papers  found 
in  his  possession  fully  proved  the  existence  of  a  treaty  be- 
tween the  Dutch  and  the  Americans.  War  was  therefore 
declared,  and  thus  was  England  engaged  with  a  fourth 
enemy  without  a  single  ally.  About  the  same  time  the 
northern  powers  of  Europe  joined  in  a  confederation  called 
the  armed  neutrality,  which  was  aimed  against  the  mari- 
time claims  of  England.  Its  avowed  design  was  to  pro- 
tect the  trade  of  neutral  vessels  with  the  several  belligerent 
powers. 

10.  But  the  spirit  of  the  English  nation  sunk  not  in  this 
apparently  unequal  contest.  Admiral  Rodney  captured 
a  Spanish  convoy,  defeated  the  enemy's  fleet,  though  forced 
to  engage  under  very  disadvantageous  circumstances,  and 
relieved  Gibraltar,  which  the  Spaniards  had  begun  to  be- 
siege ;  sailing  thence  to  the  West  Indies,  he  dispersed  a 
French  fleet  far  superior  to  his  own.  In  America,  South 
Carolina  was  subdued  by  sir  Henry  Clinton ;  and  the 
American  general  Arnold,  believing  the  independent  cause 
almost  hopeless,  abandoned  his  country's  cause,  and  entered 
into  the  royal  service.  The  acquisition  of  this  worthless 
deserter  cost  the  life  of  one  of  Britain's  best  and  bravest 
officers.  Major  Andre,  adjutant-general  of  the  royal 
army,  having  been  sent  to  conduct  the  negotiation  with 
Arnold,  was  seized  within  the  American  lines,  and  hanged 
as  a  spy,  by  a  rigid  interpretation  of  the  laws  of  war. 

11.  The  ministry  had  hitherto  found  the  parliament  well 
disposed  to  support  their  measures  ;  but  the  number  of  pe- 
titions presented  from  the  counties  and  leading  towns  against 
the  administration,  soon  raised  up  a  formidable  opposition. 
(April  6th.)  At  length  Mr.  Dunning  moved  his  celebrated 
resolution,  "  that  the  influence  of  the  crown  has  increased, 
is  increasing,  and  ought  to  be  diminished,"  which  was  car- 
ried by  a  majority  of  twenty-eight  votes  ;  but  a  second  re- 
solution, designed  to  give  effect  to  the  former,  was  rejected 
by  a  majority  of  fifty-one,  and  the  ministry  soon  after  re- 
covered their  wonted  superiority. 

12.  Some  of  the  penal  laws  against  the  Roman  catholics 
were  wisely  repealed  by  the  parliament,  but  in  consequence 
of  the  exertions  of  some  misguided  bigots,  these  measures 
were  followed  by  the  most  formidable  riots  that  ever  dig 


GEORGE  III. 


387 


graced  the  metropolis.  June  2.  An  immense  multitude 
assembled  in  St.  George's-fields,  to  petition  for  a  repeal  of 
the  laws  that  had  been  passed  in  favour  of  the  Roman 
catholics,  and  after  adopting  several  resolutions,  proceeded 
in  large  parties  to  the  avenues  leading  to  the  house  of  com- 
mons, where  they  insulted  several  of  the  members.  Lord 
George  Gordon,  a  visionary  enthusiast,  came  out  and  made 
a  violent  harangue  to  the  multitude,  informing  them  that 
their  petition  had  been  rejected.  The  irritated  mob  at  once 
proceeded  to  acts  of  violence  ;  they  destroyed  all  the  Romish 
chapels  in  and  about  town ;  they  burned  the  prisons  of 
Newgate,  the  king's  bench,  and  the  fleet,  together  with 
several  private  houses  ;  they  even  threatened  the  bank, 
which  was  preserved  with  difficulty.  At  length  the  military 
were  called  out,  and  the  rioters  dispersed,  though  not  until 
two  hundred  and  twenty  of  their  number  had  been  killed  or 
mortally  wounded. 

13.  (1781.)  The  campaign  which  decided  the  question 
of  American  independence  seemed  at  its  commencement 
to  promise  a  far  different  termination  :  Washington's  army 
was  so  distressed  that  1500  troops  deserted  his  lines  ;  but 
though  they  had  thus  shown  their  resentment,  they  refused 
to  listen  to  any  offers  from  the  British  generals,  and  the 
emissaries  sent  to  seduce  them  were  given  up  and  hanged. 
Congress,  however,  exerted  itself  so  successfully,  that  the 
distresses  of  the  army  were  finally  relieved,  and  Washing- 
ton enabled  to  commence  decisive  operations.  He  at  first 
designed  to  besiege  New  York,  but  being  baffled  by  the 
superior  forces  of  sir  Henry  Clinton,  he  suddenly  resolved 
to  march  into  the  southern  states,  and  overpower  lord 
Cornwallis  before  Clinton's  army  could  move  to  his  as- 
sistance. 14.  This  decisive  operation  was  crowned  with 
complete  success  ;  lord  Cornwallis  was  attacked  in  York- 
town,  by  the  combined  armies  of  France  and  America  ;  his 
lordship  made  a  gallant  defence,  but  two  redoubts  in  his 
front  were  carried  by  storm — his  works  ruined — his  lines 
swept  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries,  and  the  effective 
strength  of  his  garrison  diminished  by  sickness.  Under 
these  circumstances,  nothing  remained  but  to  propose 
terms  of  capitulation.  He  accordingly  surrendered  to 
general  Lincoln  with  the  same  formalities  that  he  had  pre- 
scribed to  that  officer  eighteen  months  before  at  Charleston  ; 
and  it  is  remarkable,  as  a   second   coincidence,  that  the 


3&Q  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

articles  were  drawn  up  by  lieutenant-co.onel  Laurens,  whose 
father  was  still  detained  as  a  close  prisoner  in  the  Tower  of 
London. 

15.  These  losses  were  in  some  degree  compensated  by 
the  success  of  our  arms  in  the  East  Indies,  where  sir  Eyre 
Coote  defeated  Hyder  Ally,  and  restored  the  company's 
ascendency.  In  the  West  Indies,  the  island  of  St.  Eustatius 
was  taken  from  the  Dutch,  but  subsequently  recaptured  by 
the  French.  A  desperate  engagement  also  took  place  off 
the  Dogger  Bank  between  an  English  squadron  commanded 
by  admiral  Parker,  and  a  Dutch  squadron  under  admiral 
Zoutman  ;  after  a  fierce  battle  which  lasted  three  hours,  the 
victory  remained  undecided,  and  both  returned  to  their  re- 
spective harbours. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  measure  did  the  British  ministry  propose? 

2.  Is  there  any  thing  remarkable  in  the  circumstances  of  lord  Chatham's 

death  ? 

3.  What  honours  were  paid  to  his  memory  ? 

4.  How  were  lord  North's  commissioners  treated  by  the  Americans  ? 

5.  In  what  disgraceful  manner  was  admiral  Keppel  treated  ? 

6.  Did  the  results  of  the  campaign  answer  the  expectations  of  the  Ame- 

ricans ? 

7.  How  was  the  English  navy  neglected  ? 

8.  What  important  events  took  place  in  Ireland  ? 

9.  By  what  new  enemies  was  England  assailed  ? 

10.  Did  the  British  obtain  any  triumphs  ? 

11.  What  remarkable  resolution  was  carried  in  parliament  ? 

12.  Did  any  formidable  riots  occur  in  London  ? 

12.  How  was  Washington  baffled  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  campaign? 

14.  What  great  triumph  did  the  Americans  obtain  ? 

15.  Did  the  English  obtain  any  successes  ? 


SECTION  VI. 


For  thoe,  sweet  peace,  abundance  loads  along 
Her  joyous  train,  and  bards  awake  to  son*. 

Bland's  Anthology- 

1.  (A.D.  1782.)  The  American  war  was  now  virtually 
at  an  end  ;  all  rational  hopes  of  reducing  the  country  again 
under  the  subjection  of  Great  Britain  were  abandoned  by 
the  great  majority  of  the  nation ;  but  the  ministry  at  least 
manifested  the  virtue  of  perseverance,  and  declared  their 
resolution  to  carry  on  "  a  war  of  posts."  The  nation  at 
large  was  opposed  to  this  insane  project;  and  parliament, 
yielding  to  the  voice  of  the  people,  gradually  withdrew  its 
support  from  the  administration.  At  length,  on  the  motion 
of  general  Conway,  the  house  of  commons  voted  "  that 


GEORGE    III.  389 

whoever  advised  his  majesty  to  the  continuation  of  the 
American  war,  should  be  considered  as  a  public  enemy." 
This,  of  course,  led  to  the  resignation  of  lord  North,  and 
a  new  ministry  was  formed  under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  Fox 
and  the  marquis  of  Rockingham. 

2.  Negotiations  for  peace  were  immediately  commenced, 
nor  were  any  of  the  belligerent  powers  disinclined  to  an 
accommodation.  The  United  States,  having  secured  their 
independence,  had  nothing  to  gain  by  a  continuance  of  the 
war  ;  the  navy  of  France,  after  being  severely  crippled 
during  the  contest,  was  at  its  close  almost  annihilated  by 
a  victory  which  admiral  Rodney  gained  over  count  de 
Grasse,  in  the  West  Indies,  on  the  12th  of  April;  and  the 
Spaniards,  after  having  besieged  Gibraltar,  and  wasted 
before  its  walls  an  incredible  quantity  of  blood  and  trea- 
sure, had  the  mortification  to  find  all  their  efforts  fail,  their 
grand  attack  signally  defeated,  and  the  floating  batteries, 
which  they  had  deemed  irresistible,  burned  to  the  water's 
edge,  by  a  tremendous  storm  of  hot  balls  and  shells  poured 
on  them  by  the  gallant  garrison. 

3.  Wilkes  took  advantage  of  the  altered  spirit  of  the 
times,  and  procured  the  removal  of  all  the  resolutions  con- 
cerning the  Middlesex  election  from  the  journals  of  the  house 
of  commons  ;  after  which  this  celebrated  demagogue  sunk 
into  complete  insignificance.  In  Ireland,  the  parliament, 
roused  by  the  fervid  eloquence  of  Mr.  Grattan,  obtained 
from  the  new  ministry  the  concession  of  their  legislative  in- 
dependence. Immediately  after  which,  the  Irish  house  of 
commons  voted  a  sum  of  ^50,000  to  purchase  an  estate  for 
Mr.  Grattan,  as  a  reward  for  the  services  which  he  had  ren- 
dered his  country. 

4.  But  while  the  new  administration  was  exerting  itself 
for  the  reformation  of  abuses  at  home  and  the  establishment 
of  peace  abroad,  it  was  suddenly  dissolved  by  the  death  of 
the  marquis  of  Rockingham.  The  earl  of  Shelburne  was 
appointed  premier,  which  so  displeased  Mr.  Fox  and  his 
friends  that  they  immediately  resigned.  The  noble  lord  did 
not  long  retain  his  place  ;  Mr.  Fox,  to  the  utter  astonish- 
ment of  the  entire  nation,  entered  into  a  coalition  with  lord 
North,  whom  he  had  so  long  and  so  bitterly  opposed.  Their 
united  parliamentary  influence  was  irresistible :  and  they 
forced  themselves  into  the  royal  councils,  in  spite  of  the  se- 
cret dislike  of  the  king  and  the  open  disgust  of  the  nation, 

5.  (A.D.  1783.)  The  success  of  the  coalition  was  of  short 

2  k- 2 


390  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

duration  ;  immediately  after  concluding  the  peace  with 
France  and  America,  Mr.  Fox  introduced  a  bill  for  regu- 
lating the  government  of  India,  which  his  influence  carried 
through  the  house  of  commons,  notwithstanding  the  most 
vigorous  efforts  of  the  company  and  its  servants.  But  in 
the  lords  the  opposition  was  more  effectual,  the  king  him- 
self avowed  his  hostility  to  the  measure,  and  it  was  finally 
rejected  by  a  considerable  majority.  The  ministry  appear- 
ing unwilling  to  resign,  were  summarily  dismissed,  and  a 
new  administration  formed,  of  which  Mr.  William  Pitt,  the 
second  son  of  the  earl  of  Chatham,  was  the  most  conspi- 
cuous member. 

6.  (A.  D.  1784.)  Parliament  at  its  meeting  exhibited  the 
unusual  spectacle  of  ministers  in  a  complete  minority  ;  to 
carry  on  the  public  business  under  such  circumstances  was, 
of  course,  impossible,  and  no  sooner  were  the  supplies  voted 
than  the  parliament  was  dissolved.  The  coalition  had  given 
such  general  offence  to  the  nation,  that  the  new  ministry  ob- 
tained a  decisive  majority  in  the  new  house  of  commons. 
Mr.  Pitt's  India  bill,  which  was  less  violent,  but  also  less 
effective  than  that  of  Mr.  Fox,  was  passed  triumphantly ; 
and  an  act  for  restoring  the  Scotch  estates  forfeited  in  1745, 
went  through  both  houses  without  opposition,  and  received 
the  royal  assent. 

7.  (A.  D.  1785.)  Mr.  Pitt,  pursuant  to  the  promises  he 
had  so  often  made,  brought  forward  his  motion  for  a  reform 
in  parliament ;  his  plans  were  very  judicious  and  well  ar- 
ranged, but  they  were  rejected  by  a  considerable  majority, 
not,  as  was  generally  suspected,  without  his  tacit  consent. 
8.  (1786.)  The  south-western  coast  of  New  Holland  afford- 
ing several  favourable  spots  for  colonization,  it  was  resolved 
to  transport  convicts  thither,  and  give  them  an  opportunity 
of  retrieving  their  characters  and  reforming  their  manners  in 
another  hemisphere.  About  the  same  time  a  maniac,  named 
Margaret  Nicholson,  made  an  attempt  to  assassinate  the 
king,  as  he  was  alighting  from  his  carriage  ;  she  was  imme- 
diately seized,  and  her  insanity  being  fully  proved,  she  was 
sent  to  Bethlehem  hospital,  where  she  remained  safely 
guarded,  but  unmolested. 

9.  (1787.)  Mr.  Sheridan,  aided  by  Mr.  Burke,  Mr.  Fox, 
and  several  others,  brought  forward  a  motion  for  the  im- 
peachment of  Warren  Hastings,  late  governor-general  of 
India,  for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanours  in  the  execution 
of  his  office,  which  passed  with  but  little  opposition.     Th« 


GEORGE  III.  301 

consequent  trial  before  the  house  of  IonJs  lingered  out  during 
the  seven  succeeding  years,  and  ended  in  the  acquittal  of  the 
accused. 

10.  A  strong  party  in  Holland,  secretly  supported  by  the 
French  court,  violently  opposed  their  stadtholder,  the  prince 
of  Orange,  and  disregarded  the  remonstrances  made  by 
England  in  his  favour.  This  dispute  would  probably  have 
rekindled  a  general  war,  had  not  the  king  of  Prussia,  en- 
raged at  an  insult  offered  to  his  sister,  sent  a  large  army  into 
Holland,  which  soon  restored  the  authority  of  the  stadt- 
holder, and  crushed  the  power  of  his  opponents. 

11.  (1788.)  While  the  nation  was  enjoying  profound  re- 
pose, and  silently  repairing  the  losses  incurred  in  the  Ame- 
rican war,  the  country  was  suddenly  astounded  by  the  news 
that  his  majesty  had  been  attacked  by  a  severe  illness,  which 
incapacitated  him  for  discharging  the  duties  of  government. 
Mr.  Fox  insisted  that  the  regency  of  right  belonged  to  the 
prince  of  Wales  ;  Mr.  Pitt  as  vehemently  asserted,  that  par- 
liament alone  could  provide  for  such  an  emergency.  (1789.) 
After  some  very  warm  debates,  it  was  finally  resolved  that 
the  prince  of  Wales  should  be  declared  regent,  subject  how- 
ever to  certain  restrictions,  and  that  the  custody  of  the  king's 
person  should  be  intrusted  to  the  queen,  assisted  by  a  coun- 
cil. The  parliament  of  Ireland  came  to  a  very  different  de- 
cision ;  they  decreed  the  regency  of  their  country  to  the 
prince  of  Wales,  without  any  restriction  whatever.  This 
difference  between  the  two  parliaments  would  probably  have 
led  to  fatal  consequences  but  for  the  unexpected  recovery  of 
the  king.  His  majesty's  restoration  to  health  diffused  uni- 
versal joy  through  the  kingdom,  and  was  celebrated  by  more 
universal  and  splendid  illuminations  than  any  previously 
known. 

12.  (1790.)  A  dispute  took  place  between  England  and 
Spain  about  the  possession  of  Nootka  Sound,  on  the  north- 
west coast  of  America,  where  the  English  had  planted  a 
small  colony,  which  the  Spaniards  had  seized,  and  made  the 
settlers  prisoners.  An  armament  was  prepared  with  asto- 
nishing rapidity,  but  at  the  expense  of  three  millions  sterling  ; 
Spain  however  was  unprepared  for  war,  and  all  disputes 
were  finally  adjusted  by  an  equitable  convention. 

13.  While  the  country  was  thus  respected  abroad,  and 
enjoying  profound  peace  at  home,  events  were  occurring  in 
a  neighbouring  nation  which  soon  involved  England  in  a 
long,  expensive,  but  not  inglorious  war  ;  and  produced  a  i'e- 


392 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


cisive  change  in  the  aspect  of  Europe,  all  whose  effects  are 
probably  not  even  yet  developed. 


Questions  for  Examination 

1.  How  was  the  American  war  finally  terminated  ? 

2.  Why  were  all  parties  inclined  to  peace  ? 

3.  What  circumstances  showed  the  altered  spirit  of  the  times  f 

4.  How  was  the  ministry  broken  up  ? 

5.  Did  the  coalition  ministry  long  continue  ? 

6.  How  was  Mr.  Pitt's  power  strengthened  ? 

7.  What  important  motion  made  by  Mr.  Pitt  was  defeated  ? 

8.  Wa3  any  attempt  made  on  the  king's  life  ? 

9.  Is  there  any  thing  remarkable  in  the  trial  of  Warren  Hastings  f 
JO.  What  disturbances  took  place  in  Holland  ? 

11.  To  what  disputes  did  his  majesty's  illness  give  rise  ? 

12.  What  arrangements  were  made  respecting  Nootka  Sound  ? 

13.  What  was  the  state  of  the  country  at  this  time  ? 


SECTION  VII. 

Religion— freedom— vengeance — what  you  will, 

A  word's  enough  to  raise  mankind  to  kill; 

Some  factious  phrase  by  cunning  caught  and  spread, 

That  guilt  may  reign,  and  wolves  and  worms  be  fed.  —  Byron. 

1.  No  event  of  equal  importance  with  the  French  revolu- 
tion is  recorded  in  history,  and  there  is  no  subject  which 
has  given  rise  to  such  diversity  of  opinion.  Its  causes,  its 
consequences,  even  the  simple  facts  that  occurred  in  its  pro- 
gress, are  to  this  hour  matters  of  keen  and  violent  debate, 
nor  can  an  impartial  narrative  be  expected  while  many  of  the 
actors  are  still  alive,  and  while  the  impulse  then  given  con- 
tinues to  be  felt  in  every  part  of  Europe.  It  is  undeniable 
that  the  form  of  government  established  in  France  sadly  re- 
quired amelioration  ;  the  privileges  of  the  nobles  were  tyran- 
nical and  oppressive,  and  they  were  exercised  with  strict 
severity ;  the  conduct  of  the  clergy  was  far  from  being  in 
accordance  with  the  principles  of  that  holy  religion  which 
they  professed  ;  the  prodigality  of  the  court  was  extreme  ; 
the  criminal  laws  unjustly  constituted,  and  worse  adminis- 
tered ;  the  government  placed  in  the  hands  of  nobles  equally 
ignorant  and  indolent ;  nor  was  there  a  single  office,  civil  or 
military,  open  to  the  most  superior  merits,  unless  aided  by 
the  possession  of  high  birth  and  titled  name.  These  were 
evils  poorly  compensated  by  the  private  virtues  of  the  hap- 
less sovereign,  who  came  to  the  throne  of  France  at  the  mo- 
merit  when  the  accumulated  evils  of  centuries  had  nearly 
reached  their  consummation.  2.  While  the  higher  classes 
were  sunk  in  luxury  and  sloth,  the  lower  ranks,  in  a  state 


GEORGE    III. 


393 


of  ignorance  and  degradation,  and  goaded  on  by  misery 
were  ready  to  second  every  movement,  and  to  join  in  every 
excess.  In  the  middle  classes,  the  elements  of  strife  were 
even  more  thickly  sown  ;  they  were  irritated  at  the  con- 
tempt shown  them  by  their  haughty  superiors,  they  were  in- 
dignant at  seeing  the  doors  of  preferment  closed  against  the 
exertions  of  honourable  ambition,  and  their  minds  were  de- 
bauched by  the  perusal  of  the  speculative  treatises  on  "  the 
rights  of  man,"  which,  despite  of  every  restriction,  daily 
issued  from  the  press,  and  which,  with  very  few  exceptions, 
advocated  principles  subversive  of  all  religion,  and  conse- 
quently of  all  gooa  government. 

3.  The  American  war  precipitated  a  revolution,  which 
probably,  could  not  have  been  much  longer  delayed.  The 
French  soldiers,  while  fighting  in  the  cause  of  American 
freedom,  naturally  imbibed  the  principles  of  their  allies, 
and  diffused  them  over  the  country  on  their  return  home : 
the  royal  exchequer,  which  had  been  nearly  exhausted  by 
the  profligate  extravagance  of  the  former  reign,  was  totally 
ruined  by  an  expensive  war,  and  the  country  was  on  the 
very  eve  of  a  national  bankruptcy.  When  a  variety  of  ex- 
pedients, most  of  which  made  matters  worse,  had  been  tried 
in  vain,  the  king  determined  to  convoke  the  states-general, 
which  had  not  been  assembled  since  1614,  and  they  accord- 
ingly met  at  Versailles  on  the  5th  of  May,  1789. 

4.  After  some  angry  debates,  it  was  determined  that  the 
three  orders  of  the  clergy,  the  nobles,  and  the  commons, 
should  meet  in  one  body,  an  arrangement  which  threw  all 
the  power  into  the  hands  of  the  popular  party.  They  as- 
sumed the  name  of  the  national  assembly,  and  immediately 
commenced  a  total  change  in  the  constitution  of  their  coun- 
try. Feudal  privileges  and  titles  were  abolished ;  local  di- 
visions set  aside ;  and  the  country  distributed  into  depart- 
ments instead  of  provinces,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  an 
uniform  system  of  taxation ;  monastic  institutions  were 
suppressed,  and  the  English  system  of  trial  by  jury  sub- 
stituted for  the  administration  of  justice  by  the  old  provincial 
parliaments. 

5.  Such  an  extensive  alteration  naturally  disgusted  the 
court  and  the  nobility ;  unable  to  conceal  their  hostility  to 
the  new  measures,  they  exposed  themselves  to  popular  in- 
dignation, and  dreading  the  consequences,  the  Count  d'Artois, 
(afterwards  Charles  X.)  the  prince  of  Conde,  and  several 
others,  emigrated.     But  this  flight  aggravated  the  jealousy 


394 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


of  the  people  ;  the  Parisian  mob  stormed  the  fortress  of  the 
Bastile,  the  state  prison  of  France,  and  levelled  it  with  the 
ground ;  they  next  formed  a  national  guard,  composed  en- 
tirely of  citizens,  at  the  head  of  which  was  placed  M.  de 
la  Fayette ;  and  at  length  a  furious  mob  advanced  to  Ver- 
sailles, and  brought  the  king  and  royal  family  in  triumph 
to  the  capital. 

6.  (1791.)  The  progress  of  the  revolution  in  France  was 
anxiously  watched  by  two  powerful  parties  in  England,  who 
viewed  it  with  very  different  feelings.  While  one  party 
looked  upon  it  as  the  triumph  of  liberty,  the  administration 
and  a  large  portion  of  the  aristocracy  regarded  it  as  the 
triumph  of  anarchy  over  all  legitimate  authority.  Nor 
were  such  feelings  confined  to  the  higher  classes,  the  popu- 
lace shared  largely  in  the  hatred  to  the  new  politics  of 
France ;  a  dinner  to  celebrate  the  capture  of  the  Bastile  was 
adjourned  in  London  through  dread  of  popular  resentment ; 
but  in  Birmingham  a  festive  meeting  to  commemorate  the 
same  event  was  dispersed  by  a  furious  mob,  which  sub- 
sequently proceeded  to  destroy  the  dissenting  chapels,  and 
the  houses  of  all  who  were  supposed  favourable  to  the 
French  revolution. 

7.  (1792.)  The  principal  powers  on  the  continent  having 
entered  into  a  treaty,  to  check  the  progress  of  the  French 
revolution,  it  was  obvious  that  war  could  not  long  be  de- 
layed ;  but  the  interference  of  the  monarchs  precipitated  the 
events  which  they  wished  to  prevent.  The  duke  of  Bruns- 
wick, as  commander-in-chief  of  the  allied  armies,  issued  an 
ill-judged  and  sanguinary  manifesto,  which,  with  some  sus- 
picious circumstances  in  the  conduct  of  the  king  and  queen, 
so  exasperated  the  French,  that  all  the  power  of  the  state 
was  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the  jacobins,  as  the  most 
violent  republicans  were  called.  The  consequences  were 
dreadful :  the  palace  of  the  king  was  stormed,  his  guards 
massacred,  himself  and  family  confined  as  close  prisoners, 
and  royalty  finally  abolished  in  France.  Ere  yet  the  world 
recovered  from  its  astonishment  at  these  events,  it  learned 
with  equal  surprise  and  indignation,  that  the  unfortunate 
king  had  been  brought  to  trial  by  his  subjects,  and  con- 
demned to  death  by  a  majority  of  votes.  This  iniquitous 
sentence  was  executed  on  the  21st  of  January,  1793. 

8.  While  France  was  thus  distracted,  England  was 
quietly  enjoying  the  blessings  of  peace;  and  the  parliament 
engaged  in  the  advancement  of  measures  equally  salutary 


GEORGE    III. 


395 


The  Duke  of  York  at  the  surrender  of  Valenciennes. 


and  judicious.  Several  taxes  that  pressed  on  commerce  and 
industry  were  repealed ;  a  bill  introduced  by  Mr.  Fox  to 
make  juries  in  cases  of  libel  judges  of  law  as  well  as  fact, 
was  passed ;  some  further  concessions  were  made  to  the 
Roman  catholics ;  but  Mr.  Wilberforce's  motion  for  the 
abolition  of  the  slave-trade  was  lost  by  a  considerable  ma- 
jority. 9.  In  the  East  Indies,  Tippoo  Saib  (son  of  Hyder 
Ally),  who  seems  to  have  inherited  his  father's  hostility  to 
England  along  with  his  dominions,  was  completely  subdued 
oy  lord  Cornwallis,  and  forced  to  purchase  peace  by  the 
cession  of  a  large  portion  of  his  dominions,  and  the  pay- 
ment of  an  enormous  sum,  for  the  performance  of  which 
his  sons  were  given  as  hostages. 

10.  (1793.)  The  atrocities  committed  by  the  French 
jacobins  completed  the  alienation  of  the  British  people  from 
the  cause  of  the  new  revolution ;  and  the  ministry,  now 
certain  of  popular  support,  adopted  several  measures  which 
left  their  hostility  no  longer  doubtful.  The  national  con- 
vention immediately  declared  war  against  the  king  of 
Great  Britain  and  the  stadtholder  of  Holland,  intimating  by 
this  artful  phraseology  that  the  people  of  these  countries 
had  an  interest  distinct  from  their  respective  sovereigns. 
11.  It  is  certain  that  this  declaration  of  war,  if  not  directly 
provoked,  was  by  no  means  unacceptable  to  the  British 
ministry,  and  the  great  body  of  the  aristocracy  by  which  it 
was  supported.     Immediately  after  its  appearance,  the  duke 


396  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

of  York  was  sent  to  join  the  allied  armies  in  the  invasion 
of  France ;  but  the  invaders,  though  at  first  successful, 
having  taken  Valenciennes,  soon  suffered  some  severe 
checks  ;  and  at  the  end  of  the  second  campaign  were  totally 
defeated  by  the  republicans.  The  fortified  harbour  of 
Toulon  having  been  surrendered  to  the  English,  the  French 
government  made  the  most  strenuous  efforts  for  its  recovery ; 
these  proved  for  a  time  abortive,  until  the  direction  of  the 
siege  was  intrusted  to  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who  now  for 
the  first  time  appeared  on  that  scene  where  he  afterwards 
played  so  conspicuous  a  part.  By  his  exertions  the  Eng- 
lish were  compelled  to  evacuate  the  town,  leaving  the 
greater  portion  of  the  citizens  exposed  to  the  sanguinary 
vengeance  of  the  irritated  republicans. 

12.  (1794.)  To  compensate  for  this  ill  success  by  land, 
the  British  navy  established  its  wonted  pre-eminence,  in  a 
victory  gained  by  earl  Howe  over  the  French  fleet  in  the 
West  Indies ;  and  several  of  the  colonies  belonging  to 
France  were  about  the  same  time  conquered  with  little 
trouble.  13.  The  domestic  occurrences  of  this  period, 
though  not  very  numerous,  were  not  deficient  in  import- 
ance :  Messrs.  Hardy,  Home  Tooke,  and  others,  were 
brought  to  trial  at  the  Old  Bailey  on  a  charge  of  high-trea- 
son, and  acquitted,  after  a  patient  investigation,  which  lasted 
several  days.  That  they  desired  to  effect  a  great  change  in 
the  constitution  of  the  country  was  acknowledged  by  the 
prisoners  themselves ;  but  it  was  clearly  proved  that  they 
wished  to  obtain  reform  only  by  legal  and  constitutional 
means,  and  that  they  were  opposed  to  violence  and  insur- 
rectionary movements.  The  ministers  succeeded  better 
with  similar  prosecutions  in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  where 
several  persons  were  found  guilty  of  sedition,  and  sentenced 
to  several  degrees  of  punishment. 

14.  (1795.)  The  ill  success  of  the  war  induced  many 
of  the  continental  sovereigns  to  make  peace  with  the  French 
republic.  The  grand-duke  of  Tuscany  set  the  example, 
and  was  followed  by  the  king  of  Spain,  the  Swiss  cantons, 
and  the  regent  of  Sweden.  The  king  of  Prussia  only 
waited  until  he  had  received  the  English  subsidy,  and  then 
signed  a  treaty  with  the  power  he  had  been  paid  to  oppose. 
The  people  of  Holland  expelled  the  stadtholder,  and  erect- 
ing in  their  country  what  they  called  a  Batavian  republic, 
became  virtually  a  province  of  France.  In  short,  England 
had  scarcely  an  ally  remaining  but  Austria,  and  the  con 


GEORGE    III. 


397 


tinued  friendship  of  that  power  was  never  a  matter  of  cer- 
tainty. 15.  The  English  navy  obtained  some  triumphs, 
especially  a  brilliant  victory  under  lord  Bridport,  at  Port 
l'Orient;  but  an  expedition  undertaken  by  the  French  emi- 
grants, under  the  auspices  of  the  British  ministry,  was 
signally  defeated. 

16.  Symptoms  of  discontent,  almost  amounting  to  dis- 
affection, began  to  be  manifested  in  various  parts  of  the 
empire;  the  successes  of  the  war  had  been  few  and  of  little 
value  ;  but  had  they  been  still  more  decisive,  they  would 
not  have  compensated  for  the  distress  occasioned  by  un- 
precedented taxation.  The  people  of  London  suffered  se- 
verely from  the  interruption  of  commerce,  and  some  of  the 
lower  class,  irritated  by  their  protracted  misery,  assailed 
the  king's  carriage  when  his  majesty  went  in  state  to  the 
house  of  lords.  This  outrage  served,  however,  to  strengthen 
the  administration,  for  the  parliament,  indignant  at  the  out- 
rage offered  to  the  sovereign,  sanctioned  several  bills  for  the 
suppression  of  sedition  ;  bills,  perhaps,  rendered  necessary 
by  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  period,  but  which 
greatly  diminished  the  limits  of  British  freedom.  17.  The 
prince  of  Wales,  in  order  to  procure  the  payment  of  his 
debts,  married  his  cousin,  the  princess  Caroline  of  Bruns- 
wick ;  we  must  once  again  refer  to  this  unfortunate  union, 
it  is  sufficient  to  say  here,  that  a  daughter  was  born  in  the 
beginning  of  the  following  year,  soon  after  which  the  parents 
were  finally  separated. 

18.  (1796.)  The  Dutch  and  Spaniards,  having  joined  their 
forces  to  those  of  the  French,  were  now  become  enemies 
of  Great  Britain  ;  and  this  country,  from  being  an  accessary, 
was  now  a  principal  in  the  war.  Several  of  the  Dutch  set- 
tlements in  the  East  Indies  were  subdued,  but  England  lost 
the  island  of  Corsica,  which  had  been  formally  placed  under 
British  protection  a  few  years  previously.  The  Austrians 
were  almost  driven  out  of  Italy  by  the  French  under  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte,  whose  brilliant  career  began  now  to  excite 
the  attention  of  Europe.  A  fruitless  effort  to  terminate  the 
war  by  negotiation  was  made  by  the  British  ministry ;  it 
failed,  because  probably  it  never  was  intended  to  succeed. 

19.  (1797.)  The  enormous  expenses  which  Great  Britain 
had  to  sustain  were  found  to  have  exhausted  the  resources 
of  the  country  so  much,  that  at  length  the  bank  stopped 
payment ;  and  an  issue  of  paper  money  was  of  course  the 
consequence.      Two  alarming  mutinies   broke  out  in  tho 

2L 


498  HISTORY    OF    ENGLANE. 

navy ;  that  at  Spithead  was  settled  by  giving  the  seamen 
additional  pay,  but  that  at  the  Nore  was  not  quelled  without 
bloodshed,  and  the  execution  of  some  of  the  ringleaders. 
20.  But  England  still  maintained  her  naval  renown ;  a  bril- 
liant victory  was  gained  by  sir  John  Jarvis  over  the  Spanish 
fleet,  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  and  an  equally  glorious  triumph 
was  obtained  over  the  Dutch  by  admiral  Duncan,  at  Cam- 
perdown.  21.  Our  ally  had  not  equal  fortune,  Austria  was 
everywhere  defeated,  and  to  escape  total  ruin  was  obliged 
to  submit  to  the  terms  of  peace  which  Bonaparte  dictated  at 
Campo  Formio. 

Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  state  of  France  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  f 

2.  In  what  dangerous  circumstances  were  the  different  orders  of  society  ? 

3.  How  did  the  American  war  precipitate  a  revolution  ? 

4.  What  triumphs  were  gained  by  the  popular  party  at  the  meeting  of  the 

states-general  ? 

5.  Did  these  alterations  produce  any  important  results  ? 

6.  In  what  manner  was  the  French  revolution  regarded  in  England  ? 

7.  What  consequences  were  produced  by  the  duke  of  Brunswick's  procla- 

mation ? 

8.  What  was  the  state  of  England  at  this  time  ? 

9.  Was  any  important  advantages  gained  in  the  East  Indies  ? 

10.  How  did  the  war  commence  ? 

11.  What  reverses  did  the  English  experience? 

12.  By  what  naval  triumphs  were  these  compensated  ? 

13.  Did  any  important  trials  occur  at  this  time  ? 

14.  How  did  the  allies  of  England  behave  ? 

15.  Where  was  lord  Bridport  victorious  ? 

16.  How  did  the  people  of  England  show  their  discontent  ? 

17.  What  royal  marriage  was  contracted  at  this  time  ? 

18.  In  what  manner  was  the  war  conducted  ? 

19.  Did  any  dangerous  events  occur  in  England  ? 

20.  How  did  the  English  navy  behave  ? 

21.  Where  was  peace  made  between  France  and  Austria  ? 


SECTION  VIII. 

O  frantic  thirBt  of  glory  and  of  fame !  —  Mickle. 

1.  (A.D.  1798.)  The  restoration  of  the  legislative  inde- 
pendence of  Ireland  in  1782  was  far  from  satisfying  the  ex- 
pectations formed  by  a  considerable  party  in  that  country. 
Reform  in  parliament,  and  a  repeal  of  the  remnant  of  the 
penal  laws  against  the  Roman  catholics,  were  rather  de- 
manded as  a  right  than  craved  as  a  boon  ;  a  d  when  the 
government  refused  to  make  concessions,  the  majority  re- 
mained sullen  and  discontented,  while  a  few  wilder  spirits 


GEORGE    III.  39£ 

meditated  a  total  separation  from  England,  and  the  esta- 
blishment of  an  Irish  republic  after  the  example  of  France. 
The  lower  classes  were  easily  induced  to  adopt  schemes 
that  flattered  their  national  pride  ;  and  though  government, 
having  received  timely  information,  arrested  the  principal 
leaders,  disaffection  was  too  extensive  to  be  thus  checked, 
and  several  counties  broke  out  in  open  insurrection.  After 
a  sanguinary  struggle,  disgraced  by  several  atrocities  on  both 
sides,  the  revolters  were  everywhere  defeated  ;  and  on  the 
surrender  of  a  small  body  of  French  who  had  been  sent  to 
aid  the  insurgents,  peace  was  finally  restored  by  the  judi- 
cious and  merciful  measures  of  lord  Cornwallis. 

2.  In  the  mean  time,  Napoleon,  with  a  large  fleet  and 
army,  proceeded  to  Egypt,  and  on  his  voyage  obtained  pos- 
session of  Malta  by  the  treachery  of  the  knights.  The  ca 
reer  of  the  French  invader  was  sufficiently  triumphant  in 
Egypt,  but  his  hopes  of  permanent  success  were  sadly 
blighted  by  the  loss  of  his  fleet,  over  which  admiral  Nelson 
obtained  one  of  the  most  complete  victories  recorded  in  the 
annals  of  war.  3.  This  brilliant  triumph  was  obtained  in 
Aboukir  Bay,  one  of  the  mouths  of  the  Nile,  on  the  first  of 
August ;  nine  sail  of  the  line  were  taken ;  two  more  and  a 
frigate  either  burnt  or  blown  up  during  the  action,  and  only 
two  escaped,  which,  however,  were  subsequently  captured. 
Soon  after  Bonaparte  was  repulsed  before  Acre,  chiefly  by 
the  heroic  exertions  of  sir  Sidney  Smith  ;  and  having  at  the 
same  time  received  news  from  France  that  seemed  to  open 
safer  and  brighter  objects,  he  secretly  returned  home,  and 
soon  effected  a  revolution,  by  which  he  placed  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  government  with  the  title  of  first  consul. 

4.  The  first  measure  taken  by  Napoleon  after  his  eleva- 
tion, was  to  send  a  letter  to  the  king  of  England  offering 
peace  ;  this  was  instantly  rejected,  for  a  new  and  powerful 
coalition  had  been  formed  against  France,  from  which  the 
most  splendid  success  was  anticipated.  But  this  coalition 
soon  fell  to  pieces ;  the  Russian  emperor  withdrew  his 
forces ;  the  duke  of  York  was  forced  to  quit  Holland  with 
his  army  on  finding  the  population  indisposed  to  second  his 
efforts,  and  the  French,  under  the  new  government,  display- 
ed even  more  than  their  former  energies. 

5.  In  the  East  Indies  the  English  waged  a  successful  war 
against  their  old  enemy  Tippoo  Saib  ;  his  capital  was  taken 
by  storm,  himself  slain,  and  all  his  treasures  divided  among 
the  conquerors.     Since  that  period  the  entire  peninsula  of 


400  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

India  has  been  virtually  subjected  to  the  authority  of  the 
English. 

6.  (A.  D.  1800.)  Austria  had  again  commenced  war 
against  France,  and  was  maintaining  it  with  characteristic 
obstinacy,  when  Napoleon  brought  it  to  a  sudden  close  by 
one  of  those  master-strokes  of  genius  which  baffle  ordinary 
calculation.  He  led  his  army  across  the  Alps  into  Italy  in 
despite  of  the  most  appalling  difficulties,  and  obtained  a 
complete  victory  at  Marengo.  A  subsidy  from  England 
induced  the  Austrian  emperor  to  continue  his  resistance,  but 
ihe  battle  of  Hohenlinden  placed  him  completely  at  the 
mercy  of  the  conqueror,  and  he  was  forced  to  solicit  terms 
of  peace. 

7.  The  question  of  a  legislative  union  with  England, 
which  had  been  previously  negatived  in  the  Irish  house  of 
commons,  was  finally  carried  by  the  minister  ;  it  was  deter- 
mined that  from  the  1st  of  January,  1801,  there  should  be 
but  one  imperial  parliament  for  the  British  islands,  in  which 
Ireland  should  be  represented  by  four  spiritual  peers,  taken 
in  rotation  every  session,  twenty-eight  temporal  peers 
chosen  for  life,  and  one  hundred  commoners  elected  in  the 
usual  manner. 

8.  (1801.)  Paul,  emperor  of  Russia,  not  satisfied  with 
deserting  the  alliance  of  England,  became  her  bitter  enemy, 
and  persuaded  the  other  northern  powers  to  revive  the 
hostile  confederation,  called  the  armed  neutrality.  After 
negotiation  had  been  tried  ineffectually,  a  fleet  was  sent 
against  Copenhagen,  under  the  command  of  admiral  Parker, 
assisted  by  lord  Nelson.  After  having  passed  the  Sound 
with  little  difficulty,  Nelson  attacked,  and  almost  annihilated 
the  formidable  lines  of  the  Danish  defence ;  but  some  of 
his  own  ships  having  grounded  in  a  situation  exposed  to  the 
fire  of  the  hostile  batteries,  he  took  advantage  of  his  previ- 
ous success  to  offer  terms  of  accommodation,  which  were 
immediately  accepted.  It  is  probable  that  the  war  might 
have  been  again  renewed  had  not  intelligence  beeh  received 
of  the  deposition  of  the  emperor  Paul,  who  had  been  the 
head  of  the  confederacy.  His  son  and  successor,  Alexan- 
der, was  anxious  to  be  on  good  terms  with  Great  Britain ; 
and  the  minor  states  found  themselves  obliged  to  imitate  his 
example. 

9.  An  expedition,  under  the  command  of  sir  Ralph 
Abercrombie,  was  equally  successful  in  expelling  the  French 
from  Egypt,  but  that  distinguished  officer  fell  in  the  arms  of 


3E0RGE    III.  40! 

victory.  The  French,  having  been  defeated  at  Alexandria, 
offered  terms  when  general  Hutchinson  was  preparing  to 
besiege  them  in  Cairo,  and  evacuated  the  country  pursuant 
to  the  articles  of  capitulation.  10.  Before  the  news  of  this 
success  arrived  in  England,  the  country  had  been  threatened 
with  an  invasion.  Troops  were  collected  along  the  coasts 
of  France  and  Holland,  and  vessels  prepared  for  their  trans- 
portation in  the  harbours  along  the  channel.  Lord  Nelson 
was  sent  with  a  flotilla  to  attack  Boulogne,  the  enemy's 
principal  rendezvous,  but  failed  after  two  brilliant  efforts. 
The  bravery,  however,  displayed  by  the  British  sailors,  and 
the  manifest  superiority  of  England  by  sea,  convinced  Na- 
poleon that  the  enterprise  was  hopeless,  and  the  project  was 
soon  laid  aside. 

11.  Both  the  belligerent  powers  were  now  heartily  tired 
of  a  war,  which  exhausted  their  resources,  and  conferred 
advantages  on  neither.  In  deference  to  the  general  wish, 
a  change  of  ministry  was  effected  in  England  ;  Mr.  Adding- 
ton  (afterwards  lord  Sidmouth)  became  premier  in  place  of 
Mr.  Pitt,  and  negotiations  instantly  commenced.  (1802.) 
The  terms  were  soon  arranged,  and  a  peace  was  concluded 
at  Amiens,  which  cannot  be  better  described  than  by  the 
words  of  an  eminent  statesman,  "  it  was  a  peace  at  which 
everybody  rejoiced,  but  of  which  nobody  could  be  proud." 

12.  From  the  moment  in  which  the  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed,  jealousies  and  discontents  daily  arose  in  France  and 
England,  which  threatened  to  produce  fresh  hostilities  at  no 
very  distant  period.  Bonaparte,  having  been  appointed  first 
consul  for  life,  used  every  exertion  to  enlarge  dominions  of 
which  he  was  now  in  all  but  name  the  sovereign  ;  he  aggran- 
dized France  by  the  annexation  of  Piedmont  to  its  territories, 
and  had  given  even  greater  offence  by  invading  Switzer- 
land. On  the  other  hand,  the  first  consul  complained  that 
England  still  retained  possession  of  Malta,  which,  by  the 
terms  of  the  late  treaty,  should  have  been  restored  to  the 
knights,  and  remonstrated  against  the  virulent  libels  on  his 
character,  which  were  published  in  the  English  newspapers, 
as  he  believed,  with  the  connivance  of  government.  (A.D. 
1803.)  These  mutual  bickerings  soon  produced  more  angry 
demonstrations ;  lord  Whitworth,  the  English  ambassador, 
having  been  treated  with  unmerited  indignity,  withdrew 
from  trance   and  war  was  soon  after  proclaimed. 

13.  A  short  time  previous  to  the  recommencement  of  hos- 
tilities, a  conspiracy  for  the  subversion  of  the  government 

2l2 


402  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

was  detected  in  England.  It  was  formed  by  a  colonel  Des 
pard,  who  fancied  that  government  had  treated  him  with 
unjust  neglect ;  his  associates  were  desperate  men  of  the 
lowest  ranks,  and  nothing  could  be  more  wild  or  inadequate 
than  the  means  by  which  they  proposed  to  execute  theii 
insane  projects.  14.  The  execution  of  the  principal  con- 
spirators restored  public  confidence  ;  but  in  a  few  months 
the  alarm  was  again  renewed  by  the  account  of  an  insur- 
rection having  broken  out  in  Dublin.  The  leader  of  the 
revolt  was  Robert  Emmett,  a  young  man  of  the  most  amia- 
ble qualities,  but  a  wild  and  visionary  enthusiast.  The 
insurgents  were  badly  armed  and  worse  disciplined  ;  they 
were  consequently  subdued  with  little  difficulty,  but  not 
before  lord  Kilwarden  and  his  nephew  had  been  murdered 
by  the  infatuated  mob. 

15.  Napoleon  recommenced  the  war  with  great  vigour  ; 
his  troops  overran  Hanover,  and  compelled  the  princes  in  the 
north  of  Germany  to  close  their  ports  against  the  English. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  British  navy  blockaded  the  mouths 
of  the  principal  rivers  from  which  British  traders  were  ex- 
cluded, and  captured  several  French  colonies.  The  Engli?- 
having  made  prizes  of  many  French  merchant-ships,  ana 
treated  their  crews  as  prisoners,  Bonaparte  seized  on  all  the 
English  visiters  who  were  travelling  in  France,  and  detained 
them  as  hostages.  16.  About  the  same  time,  the  French 
army,  which  had  been  employed  to  suppress  the  revolt  of 
the  negroes  in  St.  Domingo,  being  cut  off  from  all  supplies 
by  the  British  cruisers,  was  forced  to  surrender,  and  the 
island  has  since  remained  an  independent  state  under  the 
name  of  Hayti.  The  threats  of  invading  Britain  were  re- 
peated, but  after  a  vain  display  of  force  on  both  sides,  no 
efforts  were  made  to  put  the  threats  in  execution. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  calamitous  event  occurred  in  Ireland  ? 

2.  Whither  did  Napoleon  lead  his  new  armament  ? 

3-  How  was  the  progress  of  the  French  in  Egypt  checked  ? 

4.  What  was  Napoleon's  first  attempt  when  appointed  consul  ? 

5.  Did  the  English  obtain  any  triumph  in  the  East  Indies  ? 

6.  Where  was  the  power  of  Austria  overthrown  ? 

7.  What  important  change  was  made  in  the  government  of  Ireland  ? 

8.  How  did  England  escape  the  dangers  threatened  by  the  armed  neu 

trality  ? 

9.  By  whom  were  the  French  driven  from  Egypt  ? 

10.  What  events  were  produced  by  the  threats  of  invasion'? 

11.  How  was  a  peace  effected  ? 

12.  Did  the  peace  promise  to  be  permpn«nt  ? 


GEORGE    III.  403 


13.  What  conspiracy  was  discovered  in  England  ? 

14.  Was  there  not  a  new  attempt  at  insurrection  in  Ireland  ? 

15.  How  did  the  war  commence  ? 

16.  Of  what  island  were  the  French  deprived  ? 


\ 


SECTION  IX. 

Aye — at  the  hour  of  utmost  need 
Thy  statesmen  tall,  thy  warriors  bleed; 
The  vigorous  mind,  the  valiant  hand, 
Desert  at  once  the  mourning  land.  —  Cooke. 


1.  (A.D.  1804.)  The  administration  of  Mr.  Addington 
having  failed  to  give  satisfaction  to  the  nation,  he  resigned, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Pitt,  who  immediately  devoted 
all  his  energies  to  the  formation  of  a  new  coalition  against 
France.  In  this  labour  he  was  not  a  little  assisted  by  the 
general  indignation  which  was  excited  by  the  unprincipled 
murder  of  the  duke  d'Enghien.  This  unfortunate  young 
prince  was  seized  by  the  emissaries  of  Bonaparte  in  a 
neutral  territory,  dragged  to  the  castle  of  Vincennes,  sub- 
jected to  the  mockery  of  a  trial  before  a  military  tribunal, 
and  shot  in  the  ditch  of  the  castle  by  torch-light.  Immedi- 
ately after  the  perpetration  of  this  crime,  Bonaparte  was 
proclaimed  emperor  of  the  French  and  king  of  Italy ;  but 
the  assumption  of  the  latter  title  gave  great  offence  to 
Austria,  whose  claims  on  Italy  were  thus  contemptuously 
disregarded. 

2.  One  ally,  however,  was  ensured  to  France  by  an  act 
of  questionable  policy  on  the  part  of  England.  Spain  hav- 
ing entered  into  a  treaty  with  Napoleon,  the  British  minister 
determined  to  intercept  the  treasure  ships  from  South 
America,  without  waiting  for  the  formality  of  a  declaration 
of  war.  Three  of  these  vessels  were  intercepted  by  the 
British  squadron,  two  were  taken,  but  the  third  unfortu- 
nately blew  up,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  crew  perished. 
The  Spanish  court,  on  hearing  the  news,  immediately  pro- 
claimed itself  the  enemy  of  Great  Britain. 

3.  (A.D.  1805.)  The  naval  triumphs  of  England  were 
consummated  by  the  almost  total  annihilation  of  the  hostile 
fleets.  The  French  ships  of  war  in  Toulon,  having  baffled 
the  vigilance  of  the  blockading  squadron,  effected  a  junction 
with  the  Spanish  fleet  at  Cadiz,  and  sailed  for  the  West 
Indies  ;  hither  they  were  pursued  by  lord  Nelson;  but  hav- 
ing heard  of  his  approach,  the  allied  admirals  returned  to 
Europe.  Nelson  soon  followed,  and  after  several  disap- 
pointments, had,  at  length,  the  satisfaction  to  discover  the 


404  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Death  of  lord  Nelson. 

French  under  Villeneuve,  and  the  Spaniards  under  Gravina, 
on  the  morning  of  October  21st,  drawn  up  in  a  double  line 
of  battle  off  Cape  Trafalgar.  The  British  navy  attacked 
in  two  columns,  the  windward  line  being  led  by  Nelson,  in 
the  Victory,  the  leeward  by  admiral  Collingwood.  After  a 
terrible  engagement,  which  lasted  three  hours,  the  English 
obtained  a  decisive  victory.  Nineteen  sail  of  the  line,  with 
Villeneuve,  and  two  other  flag  officers,  were  captured  ;  the 
remainder,  under  admiral  Gravina,  fled,  but  several  of  them 
were  subsequently  taken  by  a  squadron  under  sir  R. 
Strachan.  4.  This  victory  was  dearly  purchased  by  the 
death  of  lord  Nelson,  who  had  long  been  the  pride  of  the 
English  navy.  He  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  musket-ball 
in  the  middle  of  the  action,  and  died  a  little  before  its  close. 
5.  The  grief  of  his  country  was  shown  by  the  honours  paid 
to  his  memory ;  his  brother  was  raised  to  the  peerage  ;  a 
liberal  pension  settled  on  his  widow  ;  his  remains  were 
deposited  in  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  accompanied  by  a  proces- 
sion more  splendid  and  magnifient  than  England  had  ever 
witnessed  on  a  similar  occasion,  and  a  monument  erected  at 
the  public  expense  as  a  lasting  testimony  of  national  grati 
tude.  Rewards  were  also  voted  to  the  companions  of  his 
victory ;  admiral  Collingwood  was  raised  to  the  peerage,  and 
a  liberal  provision  was  made  for  the  wounded,  and  for  the 
families  of  the  slain. 

6.    The  triumphs  of  France  by  land  amply  compensated 


GEORGE    III.  405 

for  her  losses  by  sea.  The  Austrians  were  everywhere 
defeated;  the  archduke  Charles  was  driven  from  Italy  by 
Massena;  Ulm  was  surrendered  to  Napoleon  by  general 
Mack,  under  circumstances  that  led  to  strong  suspicions  of 
treachery  ;  and,  finally,  Vienna  itself  submitted  to  the  con- 
queror. The  junction  of  the  Russians  gave  a  temporary 
confidence  to  the  Austrian  emperor ;  but  his  hopes  proved 
fallacious  ;  on  the  2d  of  December  Napoleon  totally  de- 
feated the  allied  armies  at  Austerlitz,  and  Austria  was 
necessarily  compelled  to  submit  to  whatever  terms  the  con- 
queror thought  fit  to  dictate. 

7.  (A.D.  1806.)  The  failure  of  a  coalition  which  he  had 
taken  so  much  pains  to  form,  and  the  mortification  of  seeing 
his  colleague,  lord  Melville,  impeached  by  the  house  of 
commons,  preyed  on  Mr.  Pitt's  health,  and,  to  use  a  com- 
mon but  expressive  phrase,  broke  his  heart.  He  was  ho- 
noured with  a  public  funeral,  and  a  monument  erected  to  his 
memory  at  the  national  expense.  A  new  administration 
was  formed  under  the  auspices  of  lord  Grenville  and  Mr. 
Fox,  one  of  whose  first  measures  was  the  final  abolition  of 
the  slave-trade.  Mr.  Fox  did  not  long  survive  his  great 
political  rival ;  he  died  in  the  course  of  the  same  year. 

8.  During  the  late  struggle  the  conduct  of  the  king  of 
Prussia  had  been  marked  by  singular  indecision.  Scarcely, 
however,  had  Austria  been  crushed,  than,  to  the  great  asto- 
nishment of  the  world,  it  was  announced,  that  Prussia,  in  a 
moment  of  chivalrous  enthusiasm,  had  determined  singly  to 
cope  with  the  victorious  arms  of  France.  The  war  was 
decided  in  a  single  campaign  ;  the  Prussians  were  irretrieva- 
bly ruined  at  the  battle  of  Jena ;  fortress  after  fortress  sur- 
rendered to  Napoleon,  and  the  unfortunate  king,  stripped  of 
the  greater  part  of  his  dominions,  had  now  no  hope  but  in 
the  assistance  of  Russia.  9.  (A.D.  1807.)  Even  this  last 
hope  failed,  an  indecisive  battle  was  fought  at  Eylau  ;  but 
the  Russians  having  failed  in  an  attempt  to  relieve  Dantzic, 
and  suffered  a  total  defeat  at  Friedland,  solicited  terms  of 
peace.  A  treaty  was  concluded  at  Tilsit,  by  which  the 
Prussian  king  was  stripped  of  half  his  dominions,  and  had 
the  further  mortification  to  learn  that  the  remainder  was 
spared  only  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  the  young  emperor 
of  Russia. 

10.  This  decisive  success  enabled  Bonaparte  to  execute 
the  projects  which  he  had  so  long  formed  against  the  com- 
merce of  England.      By  the  celebrated  Berlin  decrees,  all 


406 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


the  continental  ports  were  closed  against  British  manufac- 
turers, and  Denmark,  though  long  in  alliance  with  England, 
was  forced  to  comply  with  the  imperious  mandate.  This 
led  to  the  adoption  of  measures  by  the  British  government, 
which  could  only  be  justified  by  the  most  stern  necessity. 

11.  An  expedition,  under  the  command  of  admiral  lord 
Gambier,  and  general  the  earl  of  Cathcart,  was  sent  to 
compel  the  surrender  of  the  Danish  fleet,  in  order  that  it 
might  be  retained  as  a  deposite  by  England  until  the  con- 
clusion of  the  war,  as  Napoleon  notoriously  designed  to 
have  employed  it  in  restoring  the  navy  of  France.  The 
demand  was  peremptorily  refused;  but  the  English  having 
bombarded  Copenhagen  for  three  days  successively,  his 
Danish  majesty,  to  save  his  capital  from  total  destruction, 
agieed  to  the  proposed  terms,  and  the  whole  fleet,  consisting 
of  eighteen  ships  of  the  line,  fifteen  frigates,  and  thirty-one 
smaller  vessels,  was  given  up,  together  with  an  immense 
quantity  of  naval  stares. 

12.  But  the  other  foreign  expeditions  undertaken  by  the 
English  were  unusually  unsuccessful ;  Buenos  Ayres,  after 
its  capture  by  sir  Home  Popham,  was  recovered  by  the 
inhabitants,  and  an  armament  sent  out  for  its  recovery  under 
general  Whitelocke  failed  signally  and  disgracefully :  a 
fleet  under  admiral  Duckworth  forced  the  passage  of  the 
Dardanelles,  but  being  unable  to  make  an  impression  on 
Constantinople,  was  compelled  to  retire  with  loss  :  Alexan- 
dria, in  Egypt,  was  captured  by  general  Fraser,  but  he  was 
soon  compelled  to  evacuate  his  conquest ;  and  an  expedition 
undertaken  to  assist  the  king  of  Sweden  had  an  equally 
inefficient  termination. 

13.  The  Grenville  administration,  which  had  been  very 
popular  at  the  outset,  had  now  declined  considerably  in 
public  favour  ;  and  it  probably  had  never  possessed  the  full 
confidence  of  the  king.  The  ministers  having  brought  for- 
ward some  measures  of  concession  to  the  Roman  catholics, 
which  his  majesty  disapproved,  were  compelled  to  resign, 
and  Mr.  Pitt's  friends  were  recalled  to  the  cabinet. 

14.  Portugal  was  now  the  only  part  of  the  continent 
open  to  Great  Britain,  and  Napoleon  determined  that  her 
manufactures  should  be  excluded  from  this  country  also. 
The  prince-regent  of  Portugal,  alarmed  by  the  appearance 
of  a  powerful  French  army  on  his  frontiers,  promised  obe- 
dience to  the  demands  of  the  French  emperor  ;  but  finding 
that   every  compliance   was   insufficient  to  conciliate   the 


GEORGE    111  407 

invaders,  and  that  the  annihilation  of  his  kingdom  was 
intended,  he  embarked  on  board  the  English  fleet,  and  was 
conveyed  to  the  Brazilian  settlements  in  South  America. 
Immediately  after  his  departure  the  French  occupied  Lisbon 
without  opposition. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  How  did  Napoleon  excite  the  resentment  of  the  European  monarchs 

2.  Why  did  the  Spaniards  support  the  French  with  all  their  might  ? 

3.  What  great  naval  victory  did  the  English  obtain  ? 

4.  By  what  event  was  the  joy  for  this  victory  diminished  ? 

5.  In  what  manner  did  the  English  nation  show  its  respect  for  JSelson  and 

his  companions  ? 

6.  Did  the  French  gain  any  advantages  on  land  ? 

7.  Why  was  there  a  change  made  in  the  British  ministry  ? 

8.  What  success  had  the  Prussians  in  their  war  against  France  ? 

9.  By  what  events  was  a  peace  precipitated  ? 

10.  What  use  did  Napoleon  make  of  his  victory  ? 

11.  How  did  the  English  act  under  these  circumstances  ? 

12.  In  what  expeditions  were  the  English  unsuccessful  ? 

13.  What  circumstances  brought  about  a  change  in  the  British  ministry  ? 

14.  What  remarkable  events  took  place  in  Portugal  ? 


SECTION  X. 


First,  from  his  trance  the  heroic  Spaniard  woke 

His  chains  ho  brnke, 
And  casting  off  his  nock  the  treacherous  yoke 

He  called  on  England.  —  Southey. 

1.  (A.D.  1808.)  The  unprincipled  occupation  of  Portu- 
gal was  followed  by  a  series  of  transactions  still  more  iniqui- 
tous in  Spain,  which,  though  at  first  apparently  successful, 
blighted  for  ever  the  character  of  Napoleon,  and  contributed 
not  a  little  to  his  final  overthrow.  Seldom  have  the  annals 
of  any  country  presented  such  a  picture  of  vice  and  imbe- 
cility as  was  displayed  by  the  court  of  Spain  at  the  period 
which  now  occupies  our  attention ;  the  king  was  a  weak  and 
irresolute  monarch,  destitute  of  abilities  for  managing  the 
affairs  of  state,  even  in  the  most  tranquil  times ;  and, 
consequently,  wholly  unfit  to  rule  at  a  period  when  all 
Europe  was  convulsed  by  the  consequences  of  the  French 
revolution.  His  prime  minister,  and  the  virtual  ruler  of 
Spain,  was  Godoy,  whom  the  illicit  attachment  of  the  queen 
had  raised  from  the  rank  of  a  private  gentleman  to  guide  the 
national  councils,  under  the  proud  title  of  the  Prince  of  the 
Peace.  But  Godoy  was  by  no  means  fitted  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  the  station  to  which  he  had  been  raised.  Possess- 
ing neither  talent  nor  principle,  he  pursued  a  selfish  and 


408  HISTORY    OF    EKGLANP. 

vacillating  course  of  policy,  which  wasted  the  resources  of 
Spain,  and  made  the  country  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  all 
the  surrounding  nations.  2.  Godoy  was  of  course  unpopu- 
lar ;  the  nobility  despised  him  as  an  upstart ;  the  people 
regarded  him  as  the  author  of  all  the  calamities  by  which 
they  were  oppressed ;  and,  at  length,  reports  having  been 
circulated  that  he  intended  to  remove  the  royal  family  to 
South  America,  a  furious  insurrection  broke  out,  which 
terminated  in  stripping  Godoy  of  all  his  authority.  De- 
prived of  his  only  reliance,  the  imbecile  Charles  resigned 
the  crown  to  his  son  Ferdinand,  prince  of  Asturias,  who  was 
at  once  proclaimed  king,  to  the  universal  delight  of  the 
people.  3.  When  Napoleon  received  intelligence  of  this 
revolution,  he  immediately  proceeded  to  Bayonne,  in  order 
to  be  nearer  the  scene  of  action,  and  directed  the  numerous 
army,  which  he  maintained  in  Spain,  to  occupy  Madrid. 
By  means  of  some  obscure  intrigues,  Charles  was  induced 
to  withdraw  his  abdication,  and  claim  the  assistance  of  the 
French  emperor  against  his  rebellious  son;  while  at  the 
same  time  assurances  were  privately  conveyed  to  Ferdinand 
that  Napoleon  was  attached  to  his  cause,  and  would,  if  an 
appeal  was  made,  certainly  decide  in  his  favour.  4.  By 
such  representations  the  entire  Spanish  royal  family  was 
induced  to  cross  the  frontier  ;  and  no  sooner  were  they  in 
the  power  of  the  French  emperor,  than  they  were  severally 
compelled  to  abdicate  their  claims  to  the  crown,  which  Na- 
poleon was  determined  to  transfer  to  his  brother  Joseph. 

5.  When  the  iniquitous  transactions  at  Bayonne  became 
known,  they  filled  the  mind  of  every  Spaniard  with  feelings 
of  the  deepest  indignation ;  one  sentiment  seemed  to  per- 
vade the  entire  nation ;  a  determination  to  maintain  the 
independence  of  their  country,  and  submit  to  none  but  their 
legitimate  sovereign.  The  French  were  able  to  suppress 
the  insurrection  at  Madrid  after  a  fearful  massacre,  which 
is  the  deepest  stain  on  the  character  of  Murat,  by  whom  the 
garrison  was  commanded ;  but  in  the  provinces,  provisional 
juntas  were  formed,  armies  levied,  and  every  preparation 
made  for  a  vigorous  resistance  to  the  usurpers.  The  gar- 
rison of  Gibraltar,  and  the  British  fleets  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, lent  their  assistance  to  the  efforts  of  the  patriots,  and 
by  their  aid  the  important  city  of  Cadiz  was  secured,  and 
the  French  fleet,  which  lay  in  the  harbour,  forced  to  sur- 
render. 6.  The  armies  of  France  also  met  some  severe 
checks  ;   Dupont,  with  a  force  of  15,000  men,  was  forced 


GEORGE    HI.  409 

to  surrender  to  the  patriot  general  Castanos ;  Moncey  was 
compelled  to  retreat  from  Valencia ;  and  lastly,  a  Spanish 
army,  which  had  been  employed  by  Bonaparte  in  the  north 
of  Germany,  revolted,  and  was  conveyed  by  a  British  squad- 
ron to  the  peninsula. 

7.  The  flame  of  insurrection  soon  spread  to  Portugal ; 
and  though  the  French  generals  in  that  unhappy  country 
endeavoured  to  suppress  the  revolt  by  cruelly  massacring 
all  suspected  of  having  shared  in  the  efforts  for  the  libera- 
tion of  their  country,  this  detestable  policy  only  engendered 
a  more  determined  spirit  of  resistance,  and  a  fiercer  thirst 
for  vengeance. 

8.  The  news  of  the  events  in  the  peninsula  was  received 
in  England  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm.  The  Spanish 
deputies  were  welcomed  with  the  utmost  warmth  ;  all  the 
Spanish  prisoners  released,  clothed,  armed,  and  sent  to  aid 
the  efforts  of  their  countrymen  ;  munitions  of  war  were 
supplied  to  the  patriots  from  the  British  arsenals  ;  public 
aids  and  private  subscriptions  were  liberally  contributed  for 
the  supply  of  their  exhausted  resources ;  and  a  well-appointed 
army  under  the  command  of  sir  Arthur  Wellesley,  sent  to 
assist  in  the  liberation  of  Portugal. 

9.  On  the  first  of  August  the  British  troops  landed  in 
Mondego  Bay,  and  soon  commenced  active  operations.  On 
the  seventeenth,  the  French  were  defeated  at  Rolica;  but  on 
the  twenty-first,  a  still  more  decisive  battle  was  fought  at 
Vimiera,  and  the  English  were  completely  victorious.  10. 
Unfortunately  at  this  important  moment,  sir  Arthur  Welles- 
ley  was  superseded  in  his  command  by  sir  Harry  Burrard, 
who  gave  immediate  orders  to  stop  the  pursuit,  thus  sacri- 
ficing all  the  fruits  of  this  brilliant  victory.  On  the  following 
morning,  sir  Hew  Dalrymple  arrived  to  take  the  supreme 
command,  and  he  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  French 
commander.  11.  A  convention  for  the  evacuation  of  Portu- 
gal was  concluded  at  C  intra,  on  terms  so  favourable  to  the 
French  that  they  excited  universal  dissatisfaction.  One 
article  provided  for  the  security  of  the  Russian  fleet  then 
lying  in  the  Tagus  ;  but  this  the  English  admiral,  sir  Charles 
Cotton,  peremptorily  refused  to  ratify ;  and  the  ships  were 
surrendered  to  him  on  condition  of  being  restored  in  six 
months  after  the  conclusion  of  peace  with  Russia. 

12.  Portugal* being  now  free  from  the  invader,  sir  John 
Moore,   who   had  been  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 
British  army,  was  directed  to  advance  into  northern  Spain, 
2M 


410 


HISTOKY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Death  of  sir  John  Moore. 


and  aid  the  exertions  of  the  patriots.  The  instructions  sent 
to  the  gallant  general  had  been  prepared  on  the  faith  of  the 
representations  made  by  the  Spanish  deputies  in  London  ; 
it  was  not  discovered,  until  too  late,  that  these  were  wholly 
unworthy  of  credit.  13.  The  resolute  spirit  of  hostility  to 
the  French  in  the  lower  ranks  of  the  Spaniards  is  indubita- 
ble ;  but  the  upper  ranks,  at  the  same  time  ignorant  and 
conceited,  were  slow  to  make  any  exertion,  and  thought 
more  of  securing  for  themselves  some  petty  authority  than 
joining  in  efforts  for  the  liberation  of  their  country.  Like 
all  weak  and  vain-glorious  men,  they  were  great  boasters  ; 
they  told  of  countless  armies  and  exhaustless  resources  ;  but 
when  the  moment  of  trial  arrived,  their  armies  were  found 
to  be  an  undisciplined  rabble,  and  even  sometimes  to  have 
existed  only  on  paper ;  their  magazines  were  discovered  to 
be  empty,  and  their  boasted  preparations  to  have  consisted 
in  doing  nothing.  Even  before  sir  John  Moore  had  entered 
Spain,  the  principal  forces  with  which  he  had  been  destined 
to  co-operate  were  defeated  and  dispersed,  in  a  great  degree 
by  the  sheer  incapacity  of  their  generals.  When  sir  John 
Moore  found  that  all  the  expectations  which  he  had  been 
led  to  form  were  utterly  groundless,  he  resolved  to  return  to 
Portugal ;  the  British  minister  to  the  Spanish  junta,  how- 
ever, prevailed  on  him  to  change  his  resolution  and  to  hazard 
an  advance  into  the  heart  of  the  country.  14.  In  the  mean 
time  Napoleon  himself  had  arrived  to  take  the  direction  of 
the  invading  army,  and  the  promptitude  of  his  movements 


GEORGE    III.  411 

soon  left  the  British  general  no  other  choice  but  retreat 
The  sufferings  of  the  army  during  this  retrogade  movement 
transcend  the  powers  of  description  ;  discipline  was  for  the 
most  part  at  an  end,  and  the  country  they  had  come  to 
protect  was  treated  by  the  famished  soldiers  as  if  it  had 
belonged  to  an  enemy.  15.  (A.D.  1809.)  At  length,  when 
they  reached  Corunna,  the  enemy  was  found  to  have  pursued 
them  so  close  that  nothing  but  a  victory  or  a  convention 
could  secure  their  embarkation.  Sir  John  Moore  at  once 
decided  to  risk  the  chances  of  battle  ;  he  obtained  a  victory 
so  glorious  as  to  shade  the  calamities  of  the  retreat;  but 
unfortunately  the  success  of  the  army  was  purchased  by  the 
life  of  its  gallant  commander. 

16.  (A.D.  1809.)  Taking  advantage  of  the  withdrawing 
of  the  French  troops  from  Germany  to  recruit  the  armies  in 
Spain,  the  emperor  of  Austria  again  determined  to  encounter 
the  hazards  of  war,  and  endeavour  to  retrieve  his  former 
fortunes.  But  the  same  fatality  which  had  hitherto  attended 
the  military  operations  of  this  power,  still  counteracted  its 
efforts.  Napoleon,  in  a  brief  but  decisive  campaign,  made 
himself  master  of  Vienna  ;  and  though  his  army  met  a 
severe  check  at  Asperne,  he  soon  after  obtained  a  decisive 
victory  at  Wagram,  which  prostrated  the  Austrian  empire 
at  his  feet. 

17.  But  while  this  contest  remained  as  yet  doubtful,  the 
English  were  fast  retrieving  their  tarnished  honour  in  the 
peninsula.  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  was  sent  again  to  the 
scenes  of  his  former  glory,  and  succeeded  in  expelling  the 
French  from  Oporto,  and  several  other  acquisitions  which 
they  had  made  in  Portugal  after  the  retreat  of  sir  John 
Moore.  He  even  advanced  into  Spain,  and  obtained  a  bril- 
liant victory  at  Talavera;  but  being  unsupported  by  the 
Spanish  authorities,  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his  con- 
quests, and  terminate  the  campaign  without  obtaining  any 
decisive  advantage.  For  the  skill  and  bravery,  however, 
which  had  been  displayed  at  Talavera,  sir  Arthur  Wellesley 
was  elevated  to  .the  peerage  with  the  title  of  viscount  Wel- 
lington. 

18.  To  create  a  diversion  in  favour  of  Austria,  an  expedi 
tion  was  sent  to  the  coast  of  Holland,  under  the  command 
of  the  earl  of  Chatham  and  sir  Richard  Strachan.  The 
fortress  of  Flushing  and  the  island  of  Walcheren  were 
subdued ;  but  the  unhealthiness  of  the  climate  forced  the 
conquerors  to  evacuate  these  acquisitions  after  the  sacrifice 


412  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

of  many  valuable  lives.  It  must  be  confessed  that  this 
unfortunate  enterprise  was  badly  conceived  and  badly  exe- 
cuted ;  the  armament  did  not  reach  the  coast  of  Holland 
until  Austria  had  been  irretrievably  ruined  ;  and  the  main 
objects  of  the  expedition,  the  destruction  of  the  French 
fleet  in  the  Scheldt,  and  the  occupation  of  Antwerp,  were 
scarcely  attempted. 

19.  There  were,  however,  some  gallant  exploits  per- 
formed during  the  year  by  the  British  navy,  which  contri- 
buted to  maintain  the  national  courage.  A  French  squadron 
lying  in  Basque  Roads  was  attacked  by  lords  Gainbier 
and  Cochrane  ;  four  ships  of  the  line  and  three  frigates 
were  burned,  and  several  others  disabled.  Lord  Collingwood 
destroyed,  in  the  bay  of  Rossa,  three  sail  of  the  line,  two 
frigates,  and  twenty  transports.  Sir  James  Saumarez  cap- 
tured a  Russian  convoy  in  the  Baltic  ;  and  several  important 
islands  were  wrested  from  the  French  in  the  West  Indies. 

20.  At  home  the  attention  of  the  public  was  directed,  in 
no  ordinary  degree,  to  a  parliamentary  investigation  into 
the  conduct  of  his  royal  highness  the  duke  of  York,  as 
commander-in-chief.  After  a  laborious  inquiry,  the  royal 
duke  was  acquitted  by  a  great  majority,  but  he  deemed  it 
right  to  resign  his  situation  immediately  after.  On  the  25th 
of  October,  a  jubilee  was  celebrated  with  great  splendour 
through  the  kingdom  on  account  of  his  majesty's  having 
entered  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  reign. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  condition  of  Spain  at  this  time  ? 

2.  What  were  the  consequences  of  Godoy's  proceedings  ? 

3.  How  did  Napoleon  act  under  these  circumstances  ? 

4.  In  what  manner  were  the  Spanish  king  and  prince  treated  by  their  ally  t 

5.  Did  the  Spanish  people  show  their  indignation  ? 

6.  Were  any  triumphs  obtained  by  the  Spanish  patriots  ? 

7.  What  was  the  situation  of  Portugal  at  this  time  ? 

8.  How  was  the  intelligence  of  these  events  received  in  England  ? 

9.  In  what  manner  did  sir  A.  Wellesley  commence  his  victorious  career  ir 

the  peninsula  ? 

10.  How  were  the  fruits  of  his  victory  lost  ? 

11.  What  was  the  convention  of  Cintra? 

12.  To  what  expedition  was  sir  John  Moore  appointed  ? 

13.  With  what  difficulties  had  he  to  struggle  ? 

14.  How  was  he  compelled  to  retreat  ? 

15.  By  what  means  was  the  embarkation  of  the  army  secured  ? 

16.  What  success  had  the  Austrians  in  their  new  war  against  France  ? 

17.  For  what  victory  was  sir  A.  Wellesley  raised  to  the  peerage  ? 

18.  In  what  unfortunate  expedition  did  the  English  engage  ? 

19.  Was  this  loss  compensated  by  any  victories  I 

20.  What  delicate  investigation  took  place  in  England  ? 


GEORGE  in.  413 

SECTION  XL 

United  let  each  Briton  join, 

Courageously  advance ; 
We'll  baffle  every  vain  design, 
Arid  check  the  pride  of  France.  —  E.  Thompson. 

1.  (A.D.  1810.)  The  peace  with  Austria  enabled  Napo- 
leon to  send  fresh  armies  into  the  peninsula,  and  the  patriots 
sustained  a  series  of  reverses  which  seemed  to  have  decided 
the  fate  of  Spain,  But  it  was  not  in  the  regular  field  of 
battle  that  the  hostilities  of  the  Spaniards  were  most  to  be 
dreaded ;  their  bands  of  guerillas,  that  cut  off  all  stragglers, 
intercepted  convoys,  and  harassed  every  march,,  were  more 
formidable  than  any  regular  army  that  could  be  assembled. 
The  presence  of  the  British  in  Portugal  was  justly  deemed 
the  principal  impediment  to  the  tranquillity  of  the  French 
in  Spain ;  and  Napoleon,  therefore,  despatched  Massena 
with  overwhelming  forces  to  expel  the  British  from  the 
entire  peninsula.  The  French  ruler  deemed  himself  at  this 
time  secure  on  the  side  of  Germany,  for  he  had  married 
the  archdutchess  Maria  Louisa,  the  daughter  of  the  emperor 
of  Austria,  having  previously  divorced  Josephine,  the  faith- 
ful companion  Of  all  his  fortunes. 

2.  On  the  approach  of  Massena,  lord  Wellington  deter- 
mined to  act  on  the  defensive,  and  resisted  every  temptation 
to  abandon  this  cautious  line  of  policy.  He  retreated  lei- 
surely before  the  enemy  until  attacked  at  Busaco,  when  he 
turned  on  his  pursuers,  and  inflicted  on  them  a  severe  de- 
feat. His  lordship  then  continued  his  retreat  to  the  impreg- 
nable lines  of  Torres  Vedras,  where  he  determined  to  remain 
until  famine  should  compel  Massena  to  retire.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  astonishment  of  the  French  marshal,  who 
firmly  believed  that  the  British  were  retreating  to  their 
ships,  when  he  found  them  halted  in  a  position  which  it 
would  have  been  madness  to  attack  :  he  was  at  once  reduced 
to  inactivity,  and  forced  to  spend  the  rest  of  the  campaign 
in  watching  the  English  lines. 

3.  While  the  war  thus  lingered,  the  death  of  the  princess 
Amelia,  the  favourite  daughter  of  the  king,  spread  a  gloom 
over  the  royal  family,  and  brought  on  a  return  of  that  ma- 
lady by  which  his  majesty  had  been  previously  attacked. 
The  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  a  state  of  mental 
imbecility,  and  the  government  of  the  country  was  thence- 
forth intrusted  to  the  prince  of  Wales,  who  acted  as  regent 
4.  A  little  before  this  event,  a  strange  revolution  took  place 

<a  Sweden,  the  king  was  deposed,  and  his  family  excluded 
2m2 


414 


IIISTOKY    OF    E*  JLANtf. 


from  the  throne ;  his  uncle  was  elected  in  his  stead,  and  a* 
he  was  childless,  the  succession  was  settled  on  Charles 
John  Bernadotte,  one  of  Napoleon's  generals. 

5.  (A.D.  1811.)  The  ability  displayed  by  lord  Wellington 
in  selecting  the  lines  of  Torres  Vedras,  and  the  patience 
with  which  he  waited  the  progress  of  events  in  that  formi- 
dable position,  received  at  length  their  merited  reward. 
Hunger  and  disease  made  more  havoc  in  the  French  army 
than  the  sword,  and  Massena  soon  found  that  nothing  but 
instant  retreat  could  save  him  from  destruction.  In  this 
retrograde  movement  the  French  marshal  fully  maintained 
his  former  character  for  talent ;  but  in  every  other  respect 
his  conduct  merits  the  universal  reprobation  of  posterity. 
Every  crime  to  which  lust  and  rapine  could  prompt  an  un- 
principled soldiery,  was  committed  with  impunity;  the 
claims  of  age  or  sex  afforded  no  protection  from  murderous 
outrage ;  mangled  corpses  and  smoking  ruin  marked  the 
tract  by  which  these  ruffian- warriors  retreated  from  the  land 
where  their  hopes  had  been  baffled  and  their  pride  tamed. 
6.  After  this  success,  the  campaign  lingered  without  any 
very  decisive  operation.  An  attempt  was  "made  to  recover 
Badajoz,  which  the  Spaniards  had  surrendered  to  the  French 
under  very  disgraceful  circumstances.  Soult  advanced  to 
relieve  the  place,  and  was  engaged  by  general  Beresford  at 
Albuera.  The  battle  was  fierce  and  bloody ;  the  English 
purchased  their  victory  at  a  very  dear  rate,  and  their  losses 
were  so  great  that  they  were  unable  to  continue  the  siege 
which  they  had  undertaken.  Massena,  to  recover  his  lost 
fame,  attacked  the  English  at  Fuentes  d'Honore,  but  met 
with  a  severe  repulse ;  he  was  soon  after  recalled,  and  Mar- 
mont  appointed  in  his  stead.  7.  The  management  of  the 
Spanish  armies  continued  to  be  intrusted  to  men,  for  the 
most  part,  ignorant  of  the  first  rudiments  of  their  profession. 
They  were  frequently  defeated  in  the  course  of  the  cam- 
paign ;  but  they  were  incapable  of  being  instructed  even  by 
adversity.  The  English,  under  general  Graham,  obtained 
a  brilliant  victory  at  Barossa ;  but  the  obstinacy  and  igno- 
rance of  their  allies  prevented  them  from  reaping  the  fruit 
of  their  success. 

8.  (A.D.  1812.)  The  restrictions  which  had  been  im- 
posed on  the  prince-regent  being  removed,  it  was  expected 
that  some  important  changes  would  be  made  in  the  adminis- 
tration ;  none,  however,  took  place  at  that  time  ;  but  a  sad 
event  in  the  middle  of  the  year  produced  a  new  modification 


GEORGE    III.  413 

in  the  ministry.  The  premier,  Mr.  Percival,  was  assassin- 
ated in  the  lobby  of  the  house  of  commons  by  a  merchant 
named  Bellingham,  who  fancied  that  his  just  claims  had 
been  neglected  by  government.  The  murderer  was  tried  at 
the  Old  Bailey,  and  executed  ;  but  he  seemed  to  feel  little 
remorse  for  the  horrid  crime  which  he  had  committed. 
Lord  Liverpool  was  appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  and 
Mr.  Vansittart  chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  in  the  room  of 
the  deceased  minister. 

9.  Marmont  was  even  a  less  successful  rival  of  lord 
Wellington  than  his  predecessor  Massena ;  the  important 
fortresses  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  and  Badajoz  were  besieged 
and  stormed  before  the  French  marshal  could  move  to  their 
relief,  and  the  forts  erected  to  secure  the  fords  of  the  Douro 
were  taken  almost  in  his  presence.  The  two  armies  were 
several  days  within  sight  of  each  other  near  Salamanca, 
without  coming  to  a  general  engagement :  the  forces  were 
nearly  equal,  and  the  leaders  anxiously  waited  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  any  blunder  that  might  be  made  by  their  oppo- 
nents. At  length  Marmont  made  an  injudicious  movement 
to  his  left,  in  hopes  to  cut  off  the  British  from  Ciudad 
Rodrigo ;  his  line  was  thus  necessarily  weakened,  and 
Wellington  instantly  seized  the  opportunity  to  make  his 
attack.  The  consequence  was  the  total  rout  of  the  French, 
with  the  loss  of  fourteen  thousand  men,  killed,  wounded, 
and  prisoners.  The  number  of  killed  and  wounded,  on  the 
part  of  the  victors,  scarcely  exceeded  five  thousand. 

10.  Naturally  expecting  that  the  intelligence  of  this  glo- 
rious victory  would  stimulate  the  Spaniards  to  more  vigorous 
exertions  ;  and  relying  on  the  promise  of  the  British  ministry 
to  create  a  powerful  diversion,  by  sending  an  expedition 
from  Sicily  to  the  south-eastern  coast  of  Spain,  Wellington, 
who  had  been  lately  created  an  earl,  resolved  to  advance 
into  the  centre  of  Spain,  and  drive  the  enemy  from  the 
capital.  This  brilliant  and  hazardous  enterprise  succeeded  ; 
the  English  were  received  with  enthusiasm  in  Madrid,  and 
joy  was 'diffused  throughout  the  entire  peninsula.  11.  But 
the  hopes  which  were  thus  inspired  proved  delusive  ;  the 
Spaniards  made  no  exertion  to  second  the  efforts  for  their 
liberation ;  Ballasteros,  one  of  their  generals,  refused  to  re- 
ceive instructions  from  a  foreigner  ;  the  force  sent  from 
Sicily  was,  by  some  blunder  of  the  British  ministry,  late 
in  time  and  miserable  in  amount ;  the  French  were,  there- 
fore, enabled  to  threaten  Wellington  with  armies  three  times 


416 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Constitution  and  Guerriere. 


more  numerous  than  his  own.  Under  these  circumstances 
the  English  general  resolved  to  transfer  the  scene  of  his 
operations  to  the  north  of  Spain  ;  but  having  failed  in  an 
attack  on  Burgos,  he  was  compelled  to  retire  to  the  frontiers 
of  Portugal.  During  the  retreat,  the  British  soldiers  sullied 
their  laurels  by  several  outrages,  which  were  severely  re- 
prehended by  Wellington,  and  measures  taken  for  their  pre- 
vention in  future. 

12.  In  the  mean  time  the  ambition  of  Napoleon  had 
hurried  him  into  a  war  with  Russia,  which,  though  success- 
ful in  the  outset,  ended  in  lamentable  ruin.  The  French 
army  advanced  in  spite  of  every  resistance  to  Moscow,  the 
ancient  capital  of  the  kingdom,  but  there  their  triumphs 
ended.  The  Russians  set  fire  to  the  city  ;  the  invaders,  de- 
prived of  quarters,  were  forced  to  retreat ;  a  severe  winter 
set  in,  cold  and  famine  destroyed  them  by  thousands,  and 
only  a  miserable  relic  of  the  finest  army  which  had  ever 
been  assembled  in  Europe  escaped  across  the  frontiers. 

13.  Some  unfortunate  disputes  between  the  government 
of  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  led  to  a  war  between 
two  countries,  which  similarity  of  language  and  ancien* 
connexion  ought  to  have  kept  for  ever  in  amity.  The 
Americans  unsuccessfully  invaded  Canada,  but  at  sea  their 
frigates  obtained  some  signal  triumphs  over  British  vessels. 
The  first  of  this  series  of  victories  was  the  capture  of  thr 


GEORGE    III.  417 

British  frigate  Guerriere,  by  the  American  frigate  Constitu 
tion,  commanded  by  captain  Hull. 

14.  (A.  D.  1813.)  The  Spanish  Cortes  became  at  length 
convinced  of  the  necessity  of  giving  the  command  of  their 
armies  to  the  British  general,  and  a  complete  change  in  the 
fortunes  of  the  war  followed  this  judicious  measure.  By  a 
series  of  brilliant  operations,  the  French  were  driven  from 
their  several  positions  on  the  Ebro  and  the  Douro,  com- 
pelled to  abandon  the  capital,  and  at  length  reduced  to  the 
alternative  of  abandoning  the  country,  or  fighting  a  pitched 
battle  to  preserve  their  conquests.  Joseph  adopted  the 
latter  course,  and  drew  up  his  forces  near  Vittoria,  which 
had  been  made  the  French  depot  in  the  northern  provinces. 
In  this  position  he  was  attacked  by  lord  Wellington,  on  the 
21st  of  June,  and  after  a  severe  contest  utterly  overthrown. 
The  artillery,  baggage,  and  military  chest  of  the  fugitives, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors ;  and  so  complete  was 
the  rout,  that  the  remnants  of  the  defeated  army  scarcely 
deemed  themselves  safe  until  they  had  escaped  beyond  the 
frontier.  Before  pursuing  them  into  France,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  reduce  the  fortresses  of  St.  Sebastian  and  Pampe- 
luna,  which  were  immediately  invested.  The  former,  after 
a  frightful  loss,  was  taken  by  storm  ;  the  latter  surrendered 
some  time  after  by  capitulation. 

15.  The  reverses  of  the  French  in  the  north  of  Europe 
were  equally  signal.  Prussia  and  Sweden  joined  their 
armies  to  Russia  ;  Austria  subsequently  joined  Ihe  alliance, 
and  their  united  forces  obtained  a  decisive  victory  over  those 
of  the  French  emperor  at  Leipsic.  The  retreat  of  the  de- 
feated army  was  disastrous  in  the  extreme ;  the  Germans 
everywhere  joined  the  pursuers,  and  after  suffering  the 
most  severe  calamities,  Napoleon's  army  was  driven  across 
the  Rhine,  and  it  became  evident  that  the  next  campaign 
would  commence  with  the  invasion  of  France  both  on  her 
eastern  and  western  frontier. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  How  was  Bonaparte  enabled  to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  the  affairs 

of  the  peninsula  ? 

2.  In  what  manner  did  Wellington  act  ? 

3.  What  remarkable  event  took  place  at  this  time  *n  England  ? 

4.  Did  any  revolution  take  place  in  Sweden? 

5.  Flow  did  IVlassena  conduct  his  retreat  from  Torres  Vedras? 
o.  Were  there  any  other  remarkable  events  in  the  campaign  ? 


418  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

7.  How  did  the  Spanish  government  behave  ? 

8.  What  event  caused  a  change  of  ministry  in  England  ? 

9.  What  great  victory  did  Wellington  gain  over  Marmont  ? 

10.  How  did  Wellington  endeavour  to  improve  his  triumph? 

11.  By  what  circumstances  were  Wellington's  hopes  frustrated  ? 

12.  In  what  new  war  did  Bonaparte  engage  ? 

13.  What  new  enemy  assailed  the  English  ? 

14.  What  great  victory  did  Wellington  gain  over  Joseph  Bonaparte  ? 

15.  Did  .Napoleon  meet  any  other  reverses  ? 


SECTION  XII. 


Oh,  more  or  loss  than  man— in  high  or  low, 

Battling  with  nations,  flying  from  the  field  ; 

Now  making  monarch's  necks  thy  footstool,  now 

More  than  thy  meanest  soldier  taught  to  yield. — Byron. 

1.  (A.  D.  1813.)  The  operations  of  the  allied  armies  In 
the  south-eastern  provinces  of  Spain  were  singularly  ill- 
conducted.  Sir  John  Murray,  to  whose  guidance  they 
were  intrusted,  proved  totally  unfit  for  his  situation.  He 
precipitately  commenced  the  siege  of  Tarragona,  and  ther 
abandoned  his  works  and  guns  with  still  more  disgraceful 
rapidity ;  after  which  he  returned  to  a  state  of  inactivity 
2.  But  the  vigour  of  Wellington  more  than  atoned  for  these 
deficiencies ;  he  crossed  the  Bidassoa  in  October,  and  on 
the  10th  of  November  defeated  Soult' s  army  on  the  Nivelle 
(A.  D.  1814.)  Winter  did  not  interrupt  the  operations  of 
the  armies.  Soult,  continually  pushed  by  the  British  forces, 
assumed  a  .strong  position  at  Orthes,  from  which  he  was 
driven  with  severe  loss,  and  Bordeaux  was  consequently 
exposed  to  the  invading  army.  In  the  mean  time  the  duke 
d'AngO!^eme,  the  representative  of  the  ancient  line  of  French 
monarchs,  had  c.rnved  in  Wellington's  camp ;  to  him  the 
inhabitants  of  Bordeaux  opened  their  gates,  and  received 
with  the  utmost  enthusiasm  the  descendant  of  their  former 
kings.  3.  Wellington,  pursuing  his  victorious  career,  again 
defeated  Soult  at  Toulouse  ;  but  while  preparing  to  follow 
up  his  victory,  news  arrived  from  Paris  that  Napoleon  had 
abdicated,  and  that  the  war  was  at  an  end. 

4.  In  January,  1814,  the  allied  armies  had  crossed  the 
Rhine,  and  advanced  into  the  heart  of  France ;  negotiations 
for  peace  were  indeed  commenced  at  Ohatillon,  but  the  in- 
sincerity which  marked  the  conduct  of  the  French  commis- 
sioners prevented  them  from  coming  to  any  conclusion. 
Napoleon's  great  object  was  to  recover  Holland,  which  had 
achieved  its  independence  after  the  battle  of  Leipsic,  by  the 
aid  of  England,  and  had  recalled  the  stadtholder  to  his 
ancient  dominions.     The  French  emperor  had  strong  hopes 


GEORGE    IV.  419 

that  one  great  victory  would  restore  him  to  his  former  pre 
eminence.  5.  Never  in  his  proudest  and  most  palmy  days 
did  Napoleon  display  more  energy  and  ability  than  in  this 
his  time  of  difficulty ;  but  he  had  beaten  his  enemies  into 
the  art  of  conquering.  While  he  was  manoeuvring  in  theii 
rear,  the  Prussians  and  Austrians  made  a  rush  on  Paris, 
which  fell  almost  without  resistance.  On  the  6th  of  April, 
Bonaparte  signed  the  instrument  of  abdication,  and  Louis 
XVIII.  was  recalled  from  exile  to  ascend  the  throne  of  his 
ancestors.  The  fallen  emperor  received  the  island  of  Elba 
as  an  independent  sovereignty ;  the  dutchies  of  Parma  and 
Placentia  were  settled  on  his  wife  and  son. 

6.  The  return  of  peace  was  celebrated  with  general  re- 
joicings throughout  England  ;  and  the  metropolis  was  illu- 
minated during  three  successive  nights.  Immediately  after, 
the  emperor  of  Russia,  the  king  of  Prussia,  and  a  numerous 
train  of  other  distinguished  foreigners  came  over  to  England, 
and  met  a  most  magnificent  reception.  After  a  short  but 
gratifying  visit,  they  returned  to  the  continent,  leaving 
behind  a  favourable  impression  of  their  urbanity,  and  of  the 
respect  they  showed  for  the  institutions  of  this  country. 

7.  The  American  war  was  soon  after  terminated ;  the 
triumphs  and  losses  on  both  sides  were  nearly  balanced  by 
land,  but  the  superiority  of  American  courage  and  discipline 
at  sea  was  made  clearly  manifest  in  every  engagement,  in 
which  ships  of  equal  force  on  both  sides  were  opposed  to 
each  other.  The  treaty  of  peace  was  not  signed  before 
December,  1814. 

8.  (A.D.  1815.)  A  congress  of  ambassadors  from  the 
leading  powers  of  Europe  had  assembled  at  Vienna  to  settle 
the  state  of  the  continent,  when  they  were  astounded  by 
intelligence  which  threatened  to  render  all  their  deliberations 
useless.  Bonaparte,  wearied  of  his  exile,  and  invited  by 
numerous  partisans  in  France,  sailed  from  Elba,  and  having 
escaped  the  vigilance  of  the  cruisers,  landed  once  more  in 
the  country  which  had  so  long  acknowledged  his  sway.  9. 
The  army  everywhere  declared  in  his  favour  ;  no  effectual 
resistance  was  attempted  ;  Louis,  with  a  few  friends,  escaped 
beyond  the  Belgian  frontier  ;  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time 
Bonaparte  once  more  ascended  the  imperial  throne.  The 
allied  sovereigns  took  immediate  measures  to  dethrone  an 
usurper  whom  experience  had  shown  to  be  the  common 
disturber  of  nations,  and  a  violater  of  the  faith  of  treaties ; 
and  preparations  were  made  for  a  second  invasion  of  France 


420 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


Battle  of  Waterloo. 

10.  The  English  and  Prussians  began  rapidly  to  concen- 
trate their  forces  in  the  newly  formed  kingdom  of  Belgium, 
when  Bonaparte,  trusting  to  that  activity  which  had  before 
produced  so  many  triumphs,  determined  to  become  the  as- 
sailant, and  rapidly  advanced  against  the  Prussians.  After 
a  severe  contest,  Blucher  was  forced  to  retire  from  Ligny  ; 
but  he  accomplished  his  retreat  in  good  order,  and  left  no 
trophy  to  the  enemy  but  the  field  of  battle.  This  caused  a 
corresponding  movement  in  the  English  forces,  which  had 
advanced  to  Quatre-bras,  and  fought  a  furious  but  indecisive 
battle  with  the  enemy.  Wellington  halted  his  troops  on  the 
memorable  plains  of  Waterloo,  and  rode  across  the  country 
to  Blucher,  in  order  to  concert  a  plan  for  their  mutual 
operations. 

11.  On  the  18th  of  June  was  fought  the  memorable  battle 
which  may  be  said  to  have  decided  the  fate  of  Europe. 
Napoleon,  believing  the  Prussians  completely  broken,  hoped, 
by  forcing  the  British  lines,  to  open  a  passage  to  Brussels, 
and  then  overwhelm  the  allies  in  detail :  the  object  of  the 
duke  of  Wellington  was  to  maintain  his  ground  until  the 
arrival  of  the  Prussians  should  give  him  a  decided  superi- 
ority over  his  opponents.  The  efforts  of  the  French  to 
force  the  British  positions  were  met  with  most  undaunted 
firmness ;  the  fire  of  an  immense  park  of  artillery,  the 
charges  of  the  cuirassiers,  the  attacks  of  immense  columns 


GEORGE    III.  421 

ailed  to  break  any  of  the  squares  which  the  English  ha* 
formed ;  and  at  length,  when  night  approached,  the  heads 
of  the  Prussian  columns  were  seen  advancing  to  share  in 
the  combat.  Napoleon  assembled  his  guards  for  one  last 
and  desperate  effort  ;  but  instead  of  heading  them  himself, 
he  gave  the  command  to  marshal  Ney.  The  English  wings, 
which  had  rather  declined  from  the  field  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  fight,  had,  after  the  defeat  of  the  former  charges, 
gradually  come  forward,  until  they  formed  a  concave  front 
to  the  French.  They  now  poured  a  dreadful  storm  of 
musketry  on  the  heads  of  the  advancing  columns  ;  the  im- 
perial guards  were  unable  to  deploy  into  line  under  the 
heavy  fire  ;  they  made  the  attempt  and  fell  into  confusion. 
At  this  moment  the  duke  of  Wellington  gave  the  word  to 
charge,  the  soldiers  rushed  forward  with  resistless  impetu- 
osity ;  some  battalions,  which  Ney  had  rallied,  were  broken 
in  an.  instant ;  it  was  no  longer  a  battle,  but  a  rout.  The 
Prussians,  who  were  comparatively  fresh,  continued  the 
pursuit,  and  the  army  of  Napoleon  was  virtually  annihilated. 

12.  The  victorious  armies  now  advanced  towards  Paris 
without  meeting  any  serious  obstacle.  On  the  22d  of  June, 
Napoleon  once  more  abdicated  the  throne,  and  fled  to  the 
sea-coast,  in  hopes  of  making  his  escape  to  America.  But 
finding  that  it  was  impossible  to  baffle  the  vigilance  of  the 
English  cruisers,  he  surrendered  himself  to  captain  Mait- 
land,  of  the  Bellerophon,  and  was  conveyed,  with  his  retinue, 
to  an  English  harbour.  When  the  allies  were  informed  of 
this  event,  they  decided  that  he  should  be  sent  as  a  prisoner 
to  the  island  of  St.  Helena,  in  the  southern  Atlantic,  and 
there  detained  under  the  strictest  observation.  In  this  little 
island  the  illustrious  exile  died  on  the  5th  of  May,  1821. 

13.  Louis  XVIII.  was  restored  to  his  throne  without  op- 
position :  a  few  of  Napoleon's  most  zealous  partisans,  of 
whom  the  chief  were  marshal  Ney  and  colonel  Labedoyere, 
suffered  the  penalties  of  treason  ;  but  the  greater  part  of 
the  delinquents  escaped  with  impunity.  The  long  wars 
which  had  distracted  western  and  central  Europe  were  now 
terminated,  and  a  tranquillity,  promising  to  be  of  long  dura- 
tion, was  established. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  How  were  operations  conducted  in  the  south  of  Spain  ? 

2.  Did  Wellington  obtain  any  success  in  France  ? 

3.  Why  was  not  the  victory  at  Toulouse  followed  up  ? 

2N 


422 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


4.  What  operations  were  undertaken  at  the  north-east  side  of  France  ? 

5.  How  was  the  war  terminated  ? 

6.  In  what  manner  was  the  return  of  peace  celebrated  in  England  ? 

7.  How  was  the  American  war  terminated  ? 

8.  By  what  news  was  the  congress  at  Vienna  disturbed  ? 

9.  Did  Napoleon  again  become  master  of  France  ? 

10.  How  was  the  war  recommenced  ? 

11.  What  particulars  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo  are  mentioned  ? 

12.  What  became  of  Bonaparte  ? 

13.  How  was  the  war  finally  ended  ? 


SECTION  XIII. 

The  deeds  of  those  chiefs  who  fell  covered  with  glory 

Still  beam  on  our  record  of  triumphs  and  tears ; 
While  the  memory  of  Nelson  and  Waterloo's  story 

Are  blended  by  fame  with  the  fall  of  Algiers.  —  Fitzgerald. 

1.  (A. D.  1816.)  It  had  been  hoped,  rather  than  expected, 
that  the  exertions  made  by  the  people  in  the  different  Euro- 
pean nations  to  overthrow  the  power  of  Napoleon,  would 
have  been  rewarded  by  the  sovereigns  conceding  to  them 
free  constitutions.  But  the  monarchs,  terrified  at  the  evils 
which  the  French  revolution  had  produced,  were  firmly 
resolved  to  extend  rather  than  abridge  the  royal  authority. 
2.  The  restored  king  of  Spain,  whose  slavish  weakness 
had  been  the  first  cause  of  his  own  imprisonment  and  his 
kingdom's  degradation,  treated  with  the  greatest  ingratitude 
those  whose  blood  had  been  shed  like  water  to  effect  his 
restoration.  The  inquisition  was  revived,  and  every  despotic 
custom,  which  made  the  government  of  Spain  infamous, 
and  the  country  miserable,  were  re-established  in  full  force. 
The  Spaniards,  who  entertained  liberal  opinions,  and  who 
had  been  the  most  zealous  opponents  of  the  French  power, 
were  bitterly  persecuted,  and  either  brought  to  the  scaffold 
or  driven  into  exile. 

3.  This  aspect  of  affairs  by  no  means  contributed  to  allay 
the  dissatisfaction  which  pervaded  Britain  at  the  termination 
of  the  war.  The  channels  of  trade,  which  were  only  opened 
by  a  long  course  of  warfare,  were  suddenly  closed  ;  the 
manufacturers  had  no  demand  for  their  goods,  the  prices  of 
agricultural  produce  were  seriously  diminished,  and  all  the 
evils  which  attend  a  sudden  transition  from  war  to  peace 
were  felt  the  more  sensibly  on  account  of  the  tremendous 
addition  which  the  expenditure  requisite  to  support  such  un- 
paralleled exertions  had  made  to  the  national  debt. 

4.  The  marriage  of  the  princess  Charlotte  of  Wales,  with 
Leopold,  prince  of  Saxe-Cobourg,  and  that  of  the  duke  of 
Gloucester,  with  his  cousin  the  princess  Mary,  for  a  time 


GEORGE    III  423 

averted  the  gloom  which  seemed  fast  spreading  over  the 
nation  ;  and  a  brilliant  victory  obtained  by  lord  Exmouth 
over  the  Algerines,  diverted  public  attention  from  intestine 
calamities.  5.  Though  Algiers  was  defended  by  1000 
pieces  of  cannon,  it  could  not  resist  the  intrepidity  of  Bri- 
tish seamen ;  its  defences  were  destroyed,  its  fleet  burned 
in  the  harbour,  and  at  length,  to  save  it  from  total  destruc- 
tion, the  dey  offered  terms  of  peace.  He  was  pardoned  on 
the  conditions  of  liberating  the  Christian  slaves,  more  than  a 
thousand  of  whom  were  received  on  board  the  British  fleet ; 
of  abolishing  slavery  for  ever  in  his  dominions ;  and  making 
reparation  to  the  powers  who  had  been  the  more  immediate 
objects  of  his  barbarous  aggressions. 

6.  (A.D.  1817.)  But  even  naval  glory,  always  the  most 
pleasing  to  Englishmen,  failed  to  allay  the  discontents  that 
pervaded  the  lower  ranks  of  society ;  alarming  riots  oc- 
curred in  many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  meetings  were 
held  in  the  metropolis,  where  the  most  threatening  discourses 
were  pronounced.  The  parliament  in  this  crisis  passed 
laws  to  increase  the  powers  of  government,  especially  the 
suspension  of  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act,  and  several  of  the 
popular  leaders  were  arrested.  Some  were  brought  to  trial 
in  London,  and  acquitted  ;  but  in  Derby  several  were  found 
guilty,  and  suffered  the  penalties  of  high-treason,  which  had 
not  been  inflicted  for  seventy  years  before.  These  vigorous 
measures,  followed  by  a  revival  of  commerce,  and  an  im- 
proved harvest,  restored  public  tranquillity  ;  but  the  gloom 
which  hung  over  the  nation  was  not  dispelled,  and  a  new 
event  served  to  deepen  it  still  further.  7.  The  princess 
Charlotte  of  Wales,  the  pride  and  darling  of  England,  died, 
with  her  crrM,  who  would  have  been  heir-apparent  to  the 
throne.  Neler  was  grief  more  universal — never  was  a 
nation's  sorrow  so  deeply  felt,  and  so  generally  manifested. 
The  day  of  the  funeral  was  voluntarily  observed  as  a  day 
of  fasting  and  humiliation  throughout  the  three  kingdoms  ; 
:<.nd  a  stranger,  witnessing  the  affliction  on  every  counte- 
nance, might  have  supposed  that  every  family  in  the  realms 
had  been  deprived  of  one  of  its  most  beloved  members. 

8.  (A.D.  1818.)  To  supply  the  chasm  which  this  lamen- 
table event  had  occasioned  in  the  succession  to  the  crown, 
several  of  the  royal  family  formed  matrimonial  alliances. 
The  dukes  of  Cambridge,  Kent,  and  Clarence,  and  the  prin- 
cess Elizabeth  were  united  to  branches  of  different  princely 
families  in  Germany,  and  *such  an  increase  was  made  in 


424  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND 

their  revenues  by  parliament  as  might  enable  them  to  sup- 
port the  additional  expenses  which  they  necessarily  incurred. 
These  arrangements  had  not  been  long  concluded,  when 
the  royal  family  suffered  a  second  loss  by  the  death  of  queen 
Charlotte,  who  expired  at  Kew,  on  the  17th  of  November, 
in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  her  age. 

9.  (A.D.  1819.)  The  extensive  colonies  which  Spain 
had  recently  possessed  in  South  America,  wearied  by  the 
tyranny  to  which  they  had  been  subjected,  threw  off  the 
yoke,  and  commenced  a  successful  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence. The  king  of  Spain,  however,  imagined  that  their 
subjugation  was  still  possible,  and  assembled  an  army  at 
Cadiz,  in  the  isle  of  Leon,  to  form  an  expedition  against 
the  revolted  provinces.  But  the  soldiers  who  had  been  thus 
collected  to  crush  the  rising  freedom  of  America,  disap- 
pointed the  hopes  of  their  despotic  sovereign.  10.  *They 
unanimously  refused  to  embark  ;  and  directing  their  attention 
to  the  miserable  condition  of  their  own  country,  they  demand- 
ed the  establishment  of  a  free  constitution,  which  Ferdinand 
was  compelled  to  concede.  Similar  revolutions  subsequently 
took  place  in  Portugal,  Naples,  and  Piedmont;  but  in  the 
two  latter  countries  the  old  despotic  governments  were 
restored  by  the  Austrians,  who  have  ever  been  strongly 
opposed  to  liberal  institutions. 

11.  The  public  mind  in  England  continued  to  be  agitated 
by  projects  for  effecting  reform  in  parliament,  and  other 
changes  in  the  constitution.  PublicJ|ieetings,  attended  by 
immense  multitudes,  were  held  iy^ aiffeV^t .parts  of  the 
country.  One  in  particular,  at  MMmii.ester,  ^as  attended 
with  lamentable  consequences.  The  m^jJfetes  having 
determined  to  arrest  the  leaders,  especially  mk  Hunt,  sent 
a  party  of  yeomanry  to  aid  the  officers  of  pojbe  ;  unfortu- 
nately, in  passing  through  the  immense  assembly,  some 
confusion  took  place,  which  led  to  a  serious  affray  ;  several 
of  the  multitude  were  killed,  and  a  still  greater  number 
wounded  by  the  sabres  of  the  yeomanry,  or  severely  crushed. 
Hunt  and  his  friends  were  taken  into  custody  on  a  charge 
of  high-treason  ;  but  this  was  soon  abandoned,  and  they 
were  ordered  to  find  bail  on  a  charge  of  sedition.  12.  This 
event  produced  great  diversity  of  opinion,  and  very  angry 
debates  within  and  without  the  walls  of  parliament ;  but  the 
sentiments  of  government  were  expressed  unequivocally  in 

*  These  events  did  not  take  place  until  the  following  year ;  but  are  placed 
here  to  preserve  the  continuity  of  the  narrative. 


GEORGE   in  423 

a  letter  of  thanks  addressed  to  the  magistrates  and  yeomanry 
of  Manchester,  for  their  prompt  and  spirited  conduct.  At 
the  following  assizes  the  grand  jury  threw  out  the  bills 
charging  the  yeomanry  with  murder  ;  but  Hunt  and  his 
associates,  being  found  guilty  of  sedition,  were  sentenced  to 
different  periods  of  imprisonment.  Sir  Francis  Burdett 
also,  who  had  denounced  the  conduct  of  the  magistrates  and 
the  ministry  in  very  severe  terms,  in  a  letter  addressed  to 
his  constituents,  was  brought  to  trial,  and  found  guilty  of  a 
libel  on  his  majesty's  government.  Finally,  parliament  was 
assembled  in  the  end  of  the  year,  and  six  restrictive  acts 
passed  for  the  prevention  of  seditious  meetings,  for  prohi- 
biting training  and  arming,  for  checking  blasphemous  and 
seditious  writings,  and  to  impose  a  tax  on  cheap  periodical 
publications. 

13.  (A.  D.  1820.)  On  the  23d  of  January,  his  royal 
highness  the  duke  of  Kent  died  at  Sidmouth,  in  the  53d 
year  of  his  age,  leaving  behind  him  an  only  daughter, 
the  princess  Victoria  Augusta,  now  the  presumptive  inheritor 
of  the  British  throne.  On  the  29th  of  the  same  month, 
George  III.  died  at  Windsor  Castle,  at   the  advanced  age 


Windsor  Castle. 

of  eighty-one,  after  a  reign  of  fifty-nine  years  seven  months 
and  three  days ;  the  longest  and  most  memorable  in  the  an- 
nals of  England.  We  are  still  too  near  the  times  in  which 
this  event  occurred,  and  too  much  swayed  by  the  opinions 
and  prejudices  resulting  from  personal  feelings,  to  draw  an 
impartial  character  of  this  venerable  sovereign.  But  what- 
ever diversity  of  opinion  there  may  be  respecting  the  politics 
of  the  monarch,  none  can  deny  the  virtues  of  the  man  ; 
2n2 


426 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


amiable,  merciful,  benevolent,  he  was  an  affectionate  hus- 
band, a  tender  father,  and  a  faithful  friend  ;  no  prouder  epi- 
taph needs  to  be  inscribed  upon  his  tomb.* 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  In  what  manner  were  the  hopes  of  the  people  of  Europe  disap- 

pointed ? 

2.  How  did  the  restored  king  of  Spain  behave  ? 

3.  What  was  the  state  of  England  after  the  war  ? 

4.  By  what  circumstances  were  the  hopes  of  the  people  raised  ? 

5.  What  victory  was  obtained  at  Algiers  ? 

6.  How  did  government  endeavour  to  check  the  progress  of  sedition  ? 

7.  What  fatal  event  filled  the  nation  with  sadness  ? 

8.  Did  any  other  remarkable  circumstance  occur  in  the  royal  family  ? 

9.  What  colonies  revolted  against  the  parent  state  ? 

10.  How  was  a  constitution  established  in  Spain  ? 

11.  What  unfortunate  circumstance  took  place  at  Manchester? 

12.  What  were  the  consequences  of  this  event? 

13.  What  deaths  took  place  in  the  royal  family  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes. 

A.    D. 

Clement  XIV 1769 

Pius  VI 1775 

Pius  VII 1800 

Emperor 8  of  Germany. 

Joseph  II 1765 

Leopold 1790 

Francis  II 1792 

Assumed  the  title  of  em- 
peror of  Austria 1 804 

Emperors  of  the  Turks. 

Mustapha  III 1757 

Achmet  IV 1774 

Selimlll 1789 

Mahmoud  II 1808 


Emperors  and  Empresses  of 
Russia. 

A.    D. 

Peter  III 1762 

Catharine  II 1763 

Paul  1 1797 

Alexander 1801 

Sovereigns  of  France. 

Louis  XVI 1774 

Republic 1793 

Napoleon  consul 1799 

emperor 1804 

Louis  XVIII 1814 

Kings  of  Spain. 

Charles  III 1759 

Charles  IV 1788 

Ferdinand  VII 1808 


*  The  following  lines  form  part  of  a  poetic  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
George  III.  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  George  Croley.  Some  may  con- 
sider them  too  laudatory ;  but  the  world  is  so  accustomed  to  hearing  flat- 
tery poured  at  the  feet  of  Kings,  that  it  would  misunderstand  a  candid 
acknowledgement  of  their  virtues,  unless  made  in  the  grave  style  of 
history  : 

Raise  we  his  monument !  what  giant  pile 

Shall  honour  him  to  far  posterity  ? 

His  monument  shall  be  his  ocean-isle, 

The  voice  of  his  redeeming  thunders  be 

His  epitaph  upon  the  silver  sea. 

And  million  spirits  from  whose  neck  he  bore 

The  fetter,  and  made  soul  and  body  free  ; 

And  unborn  millions,  frcm  earth's  farthest  shore, 

Shall  bless  the  Christian  King  till  the  last  sun  is  o'er. 


GEORGE    IV. 


nr. 


Queen  and  King  of  Portugal. 

A.    D. 

Maria   1777 

John  VI 

Kings  of  Prussia. 

Frederick  II \  1740 

Frederick  III 1786 

Frederick  IV 1797 

Kings  of  Poland. 

Stanislaus 1 786 

Augustus  IV 1786 


A.   D. 

Divided   between   Russia, 
Prussia,  and  Germany.  1793 

Kings  of  Denmark. 

Christian  VII 1756 

Frederick  VI 1808 

Kings  of  Sweden. 

Gustavus  III 1772 

GustavusIV 1792 

Charles  XIII 1809 

Charles  XIV 1818 


For  a  list  of  those  persons,  who,  during  this  long  reign,  distinguished 
themselves  in  the  literary,  clerical,  political,  naval,  military,  or  mercantile 
worlds,  we  refer  the  reader  to  Chapter  XL,  in  which  many  illustrious 
names  will  be  found  arranged  under  different  heads.  Indeed,  among  so 
many,  it  is  difficult  to  draw  a  line  between  those  without  which  our  work 
would  be  incomplete,  and  those  which  are  necessarily  excluded  by  the 
want  of  space. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


GEORGE  IV. 


Born  1762.    Died  1830.    Began  to  reign  1820.    Reigned  10  years. 

SECTION  II. 

No,  sirs — my  regal  claim,  my  rightful  crown, 

The  honour'd  title  of  your  sovereign's  wife, 
No  bribe  shall  e'er  induce  me  to  lay  down. 

Nor  force  extort  it,  save  but  with  my  life.-  FAtham. 

1.  (A.  D.  1820.)  The  accession  of  a  monarch,  who  had 
been  actually  in  the  possession  of  sovereign  power  for  so 
many  previous  years,  produced  no  important  political 
changes.  George  IV.  was  publicly  proclaimed  on  the 
31st  of  January  in  London  and  Westminster,  and  matters 
went  on  for  some  time  in  their  ordinary  course.  On  the 
23d  of  February,  the  metropolis  was  astounded  by  intelli- 
gence of  a  plot  being  discovered  for  the  assassination  of 
his  majesty's  ministers.  2.  The  Cato-street  conspiracy, 
as  it  was  called,  from  the  little  street  near  the  Edgeware- 
road,  where  the  conspirators  used  to  assemble,  was  planned 
by  Thistlewood,  who  had  been  before  acquitted  on  a  charge 
of  treason,  and  some  other  men  of  desperate  fortunes. 
Their  design  was  to  obtain,  on  some  pretence,  admission  to 


428  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

lord  Harrowby's,  when  the  ministers  were  assembled  at  a 
cabinet  dinner,  and  there  murder  the  entire  party.  3.  But 
all  their  plans  were  betrayed  to  government  by  a  spy,  and  a 
strong  body  of  police,  accompanied  by  a  detachment  of  the 
guards,  burst  into  their  rendezvous  at  the  moment  that  they 
were  preparing  for  the  execution  of  their  designs.  After 
some  resistance,  in  which  Smithers,  a  police  officer,  was 
killed,  they  were  overpowered,  and  the  greater  part  made 
prisoners ;  Thistlewood  made  his  escape,  but  was  subse- 
quently taken  at  a  house  in  Moorfields.  Such  was  the 
poverty  and  misery  of  these  wretched  madmen,  who  pro- 
posed to  subvert  a  powerful  government,  that  when  they 
were  searched,  not  even  a  shilling  was  found  among  the 
whole  party.  They  were  soon  after  brought  to  trial :  This- 
tlewood and  four  others  were  executed,  some  more  trans- 
ported, and  government,  satisfied  with  these  examples,  gave 
up  the  prosecution  against  the  rest.  4.  Preparations  were 
now  commenced  for  the  coronation  of  his  majesty,  when 
they  were  suddenly  suspended  by  an  event  which  excited 
more  public  interest  and  more  angry  feelings  than  any  other 
that  had  occurred  for  a  long  period.  This  was  the  return 
of  queen  Caroline  to  England,  and  her  subsequent  trial  be- 
fore the  house  of  lords — matters  over  which  the  historian 
would  willingly  cast  a  veil,  but  which  are  far  too  important 
to  be  omitted. 

5.  We  have  already  mentioned  the  formal  separation  be- 
tween the  prince  of  Wales  and  his  consort,  soon  after  their 
marriage  ;  some  years  after,  her  conduct  was  made  the  sub- 
ject of  a  secret  investigation,  which,  after  a  long  and  dis- 
gusting inquiry,  terminated  in  her  acquittal.  After  being 
subject  to  such  an  indignity,  the  unfortunate  princess  quitted 
England,  and  spent  her  time  in  travelling,  especially  in 
visiting  the  most  celebrated  spots  on  the  coasts  of  the  Me- 
diterranean. She  visited  Jerusalem,  and  several  other 
towns  of  Palestine,  and  afterwards  took  up  her  residence  in 
that  part  of  Italy  which  is  subject  to  the  Austrian  emperor. 
Reports  very  injurious  to  her  character  began  to  be  circulated, 
and  a  secret  commission  of  eminent  lawyers  was  sent  out 
to  Milan  to  investigate  their  truth. 

6.  On  the  king's  accession  to  the  throne,  the  evidence 
collected  by  the  Milan  commission  was  made  the  pretext 
for  omitting  the  queen's  name  in  the  liturgy ;  and  at  the 
same  time  the  honours  due  to  her  rank  were  refused  by 
foreign  powers.     Deeply  irritated  at  these  insults,  she  de- 


GEORGE    IV.  429 

termined  to  return  to  England,  though  aware  that  her  land- 
ing would  be  the  signal  for  the  commencement  of  a  rigorous 
prosecution,  and  though  she  had  been  offered  an  annuity  of 
fifty  thousand  pounds  on  condition  of  her  remaining  abroad. 
7.  She  landed  at  Dover  on  the  5th  of  June,  and  was  re- 
ceived with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  by  the  populace.  Equal 
honours  were  paid  to  her  along  the  road  to  the  metropolis, 
and  her  reception  in  London  was  still  more  gratifying. 

8.  On  the  very  day  of  the  queen's  arrival  in  London,  a 
message  was  sent  to  both  houses  of  parliament,  requesting 
that  her  conduct  should  be  made  the  subject  of  investigation, 
and  that  the  evidence  collected  at  Milan  should  be  taken 
into  consideration.  Some  delay  was  occasioned  by  an  use- 
less effort  of  the  house  of  commons  to  effect  a  compromise: 
this  having  failed,  "  a  bill  of  pains  and  penalties,"  to  deprive 
the  queen  of  her  rights  and  dignities,  and  to  divorce  her 
from  her  husband,  was  introduced  into  the  lords.  9.  Tho 
trial  soon  commenced,  and  lasted  forty-five  days,  after  which 
the  bill  was  read  a  second  time  by  a  majority  of  twenty- 
eight  ;  but  on  the  third  reading,  the  ministers  could  only 
command  a  majority  of  nine,  and  the  bill  was  therefore 
abandoned. 

10.  During  these  proceedings,  the  agitation  of  the  public 
mind  knew  no  bounds  ;  cavalcade  after  cavalcade  was  seen 
proceeding  out  to  Hammersmith,  where  the  queen  resided, 
with  addresses  containing  the  warmest  expressions  of  affec- 
tion for  herself,  and  hatred  of  her  opponents  ;  the  press 
teemed  with  virulent  libels  on  all  who  were  conspicuous  in 
either  party ;  disunion  even  reached  the  domestic  circle,  and 
the  question  of  the  queen's  guilt  or  innocence  was  debated 
furiously  in  every  society  and  in  every  family  within  the 
British  seas.  The  abandonment  of  the  bill  was  hailed  by 
the  queen's  friends  as  a  complete  acquittal,  and  their  delight 
was  testified  by  a  pretty  general  illumination,  though  it 
must  be  confessed  that  many  who  exhibited  this  outward 
sign  of  joy  were  forced  to  the  display  through  dread  of 
popular  violence. 

11.  (A.  D.  1821.)  The  heats  and  animosities  produced 
by  the  queen's  trial  continued  to  rage  with  unabated  fury 
through  the  remainder  of  the  life  of  that  unhappy  lady  ;  it 
was  even  supposed  that  the  rejection  of  her  claim  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  coronation  would  have  led  to  some  serious 
commotion.  But  that  august  ceremony  was  performed 
without  interruption ;  the  queen,  indeed,  presented  herself 


430  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

at  the  doors  of  Westminster  Abbey,  and  was  refused  ad 
mittance,  but  no  serious  display  of  popular  displeasure 
followed.  12.  This  last  event  produced  a  fatal  effect  on 
her  health,  which  had  been  long  declining ;  and  her  death, 
which  followed  soon  after,  was  generally  attributed  to  a 
oroken  heart.  The  fatality  which  attended  this  unfortunate 
woman  seemed  to  follow  her  very  remains.  Her  funeral 
was  a  scene  of  outrage  and  violence.  It  had  been  intended 
that  the  procession  should  not  pass  through  the  metropolis ; 
but  the  populace  attacked  the  military  escort,  and  after  some 
loss  of  life  succeeded  in  forcing  away  the  hearse ;  the  fu- 
neral array  then  passed  through  the  city  to  Whitechapel, 
where  the  corpse  was  restored  to  the  constituted  authorities, 
and  then  allowed  to  pass  quietly  to  Harwich,  whence  it  was 
transferred  to  Brunswick,  to  repose  with  the  ashes  of  her 
illustrious  ancestors. 

13.  Immediately  after  the  coronation,  his  majesty  paid 
a  visit  to  Dublin,  and  was  received  by  the  Irish  people 
with  a  burst  of  loyal  affection  such  as  was  probably  never 
before  witnessed.  After  a  short  visit,  he  embarked  at 
Kingstown  in  the  presence  of  a  countless  multitude,  who 
rent  the  air  with  acclamations,  and  with  blessings  on  the 
head  of  the  first  English  sovereign  who  had  visited  Ireland 
without  hostile  intentions.  Shortly  after  his  return,  the 
king  made  an  excursion  to  Hanover,  the  cradle  of  his  race ; 
and  after  a  brief  stay  returned  to  England. 

14.  Great  distress  was  experienced  throughout  the  British 
islands  by  the  depreciation  of  agricultural  produce,  and  con- 
sequent difficulty  of  paying  rents.  In  Ireland,  the  mutual 
discontents  of  the  land-holders  and  peasantry  led  to  several 
outrages  on  the  part  of  the  latter,  perfectly  disgraceful  to  a 
civilized  country.  By  a  little  vigorous  exertion,  however, 
these  violences  were  repressed,  and  comparative  tranquillity 
restored.  The  distress  of  the  lower  classes,  which  indeed 
almost  exceeded  credibility,  was  relieved  by  a  general  and 
generous  subscription  in  England,  which  arrested  the  pro- 
gress of  a  pestilential  disease,  produced  by  famine  and 
distress. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  By  what  event  were  the  minds  of  the  people  disturbed  at  the  commence- 

ment of  the  new  reign  ? 

2.  What  were  the  designs  of  the  Cato  street  conspirators  ? 

3.  How  were  the  plans  of  the  conspirators  defeated  ? 


GEORGE    IV.  431 

4.  What  event  caused  the  coronation  to  be  postponed 

5.  How  did  the  queen  become  exposed  to  suspicion? 

6.  On  what  occasion  were  the  effects  of  these  suspicions  manifested  1 

7.  How  was  the  queen  received  in  England  ? 

8.  What  measures  were  taken  by  the  ministry  ? 

9.  How  did  the  queen's  trial  terminate  ? 

10.  What  effect  did  this  lamentable  occurrence  produce  in  the  country? 

11.  Was  the  ceremony  of  the  coronation  disturbed  ? 

12   Did  any  remarkable  circumstances  attend  the  queen's  death  and  burial? 

13.  How  was  the  king  received  in  Ireland  ? 

14.  Was  any  distress  experienced  in  the  country  ? 


SECTION  II. 

O!  heard  they  but  the  avenging  call 

Their  brethred's  murder  gave ; 
Dissension  ne'er  their  ranks  had  mown, 
Nor  patriot  valour,  desperate  grown, 
Sought  refuge  in  the  grave.  —  Scott, 


1.  A  time  of  profound  peace  furnishes  but  few  incidents 
worthy  of  being  recorded  by  the  historian ;  during  such 
a  period  a  nation  is  silently  employed  in  improving  its  re- 
sources and  repairing  the  injuries  which  had  been  inflicted 
by  war  on  its  finances.  The  unparalleled  contest  in  which 
England  had  been  so  long  engaged,  imposed  on  her  rulers  a 
task  of  no  ordinary  difficulty  ;  the  immense  debt  which  had 
been  accumulated,  required  a  large  taxation  to  pay  its  inter- 
est; and  though  many  exertions  have  been  made  to  relieve 
the  country  from  such  pressure,  no  extensive  reduction  can 
reasonably  be  expected  for  a  very  long  period.  (1822.)  2. 
After  the  termination  of  the  parliamentary  session,  the  king 
proceeded  to  visit  the  Scottish  capital,  and  was  received  by 
h's  northern  subjects  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm.  The 
ft  stivities  were,  however,  soon  interrupted  by  the  melancholy 
news  of  the  death  of  the  marquis  of  Londonderry,  the  se- 
cretary for  foreign  affairs,  who  had  committed  suicide  in  a 
fit  of  temporary  insanity.  After  an  interval  of  more  than  a 
month,  Mr.  Canning  was  appointed  his  -successor,  and  re- 
ceived the  seals  of  office  at  a  time  when  a  minister  possessing 
his  talents  and  energy  was  most  wanting  to  the  country. 

3.  The  European  sovereigns  had  entered  into  a  league 
to  check  the  progress  of  revolution,  and  chose  to  call  their 
union  the  holy  alliance.  A  congress  was  held  at  Verona, 
and  a  resolution  taken  to  subvert  the  constitution,  and  restore 
despotism  in  Spain.  The  duke  of  Wellington,  on  the  part 
of  England,  refused  to  sanction  the  design,  the  execution  of 
which  was  intrusted  to  the  king  of  France.  4.  (1823.) 
Early  in  the  following  year,  the  duke  of  Angouleme,  at  the 
nead  of  a  powerful  army,  entered  Spain,  and  soon  compelled 


432  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

the  constitutionalists,  wholly  unprepared  for  resistance,  to 
unqualified  submission.  Ferdinand,  restored  to  the  exer- 
cise of  despotic  power,  persecuted  all  whom  he  suspected 
of  liberal  principles  with  extreme  severity,  and  revived  all 
the  cruel  institutions  by  which  the  government  of  Spain 
has  been  so  long  disgraced,  with  even  more  than  ordinary 
rigour. 

5.  The  feelings  of  the  great  majority  of  the  English  peo- 
ple were  powerfully  excited  by  this  outrage  on  the  liberties 
of  a  neighbouring  nation ;  but  the  ministers  had  determined  to 
maintain  a  strict  neutrality,  though  they  severely  condemned 
the  principles  and  conduct  of  the  French  government.  But 
while  despotism  was  thus  re-establishing  its  iron  reign  in 
Europe,  freedom  had  obtained  signal  triumphs  in  America ; 
the  revolted  colonies  of  Spain  had  now  completed  their 
emancipation,  and  their  independence  was  acknowledged  by 
England  and  several  other  European  powers. 

6.  A  sanguinary  struggle  for  the  liberation  of  Greece 
from  the  Turkish  yoke  had  commenced  some  time  previ- 
ously, but  had  long  produced  no  result  but  terrific  massacres. 
The  principal  members  of  the  holy  alliance  viewed  the 
insurrection  of  the  Greeks  with  secret  dislike  ;  but  the 
sympathies  of  the  greater  part  of  the  people  of  Europe 
were  awakened  in  their  favour,  and  several  volunteers  from 
England  and  other  countries  tendered  their  assistance  to  the 
insurgents.  7.  (1824.)  Lord  Byron,  whose  poetry  had 
created  a  powerful  feeling  in  favour  of  the  Greeks,  proceeded 
to  aid  them  by  his  personal  exertions,  but  unfortunately  fell 
a  victim  to  a  fever  at  Missolonghi,  in  Western  Greece. 

8.  The  British  colonies  in  Africa  and  India  were  severely 
harassed  by  the  assaults  of  barbarous  enemies  ;  in  the 
former,  the  governor,  sir  C.  McCarthy,  was  defeated,  and 
cruelly  murdered  by  the  Ashantees  ;  but  his  death  was  sub- 
sequently avenged,  and  these  savage  warriors  forced  to 
submission.  9.  In  Hindostan,  the  Burmese  were  totally 
defeated,  their  strongest  fortifications  captured,  and  their 
territories  placed  at  the  mercy  of  the  British  troops  ;  they 
were  consequently  forced  to  solicit  peace,  which  was  granted 
on  terms  that  tend  greatly  to  increase  the  security  of  the 
British  possessions  in  the  East. 

10.  From  the  time  that  the  union  between  England  and 
Ireland  had  been  effected,  attempts  were  annually  made  for 
the  repeal  of  the  remaining  restrictive  laws  against  the  Ro- 
man catholics  ;    repeated   failures  by' no  means  diminished 


GEORGE    IV.  433 

the  hopes  of  the  catholic  leaders  and  their  friends ;  and  in 
Ireland  they  formed  a  permanent  association  for  the  further- 
ance of  their  objects.  (1825.)  The  members  of  the  Catholic 
Association  were  not  always  very  measured  in  their  lan- 
guage, or  temperate  in  their  attacks  on  government,  and  it 
was  judged  expedient  to  suppress  meetings  which  seemed 
pregnant  with  danger.  11.  A  bill  for  extending  the  law  in 
Ireland  against  illegal  societies  was  introduced  into  parlia- 
ment, and  as  it  was  expected  that  catholic  emancipation  would 
immediately  follow,  it  passed  with  but  little  opposition. 
This  hope  was,  however,  doomed  to  be  disappointed,  the 
catholic  question  was  indeed  carried  in  the  lower  house,  but 
it  was  lost  in  the  lords  principally  on  account  of  the  exertions 
made  by  his  royal  highness  the  duke  of  York. 

12.  Speculations  and  joint-stock  companies  of  every 
description  had  lately  multiplied  so  fast,  that  the  nation 
seemed  infected  with  a  species  of  insanity  ;  but  the  bubbles 
soon  burst,  and  a  terrible  reaction  ensued.  The  confusion 
of  the  money  market,  and  the  commercial  embarrassments 
thus  created,  did  not  entirely  disappear  for  the  next  two  or 
three  years. 

13.  (A.D.  1826.)  The  state  of  Portugal,  the  oldest  ally  of 
England,  began  now  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  public. 
On  the  death  of  John  VI.  the  succession  devolved  on  Don 
Pedro,  who  resided  in  Brazil ;  he,  however,  satisfied  with 
the  imperial  crown  which  he  had  acquired  in  South  America, 
abdicated  the  Portuguese  throne  in  favour  of  his  daughter 
Donna  Maria,  and,  to  prevent  any  domestic  commotion, 
betrothed  her  to  his  brother  Don  Miguel.  Before  taking 
this  decisive  step,  he  prepared  a  constitution,  securing  the 
blessings  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  to  the  Portuguese, 
who,  unfortunately,  could  neither  appreciate  the  one  nor  the 
other.  14.  A  strong  party  resolved  to  make  Don  Miguel 
absolute  king,  and  under  the  secret  sanction  of  the  Spanish 
government,  began  to  assemble  forces  on  the  frontiers. 
Under  these  circumstances,  application  was  made  to  England 
for  assistance  ;  and  an  expedition  was  sent  out  with  a 
promptitude  that  excited  the  admiration  of  Europe.  To 
preserve  the  continuity  of  the  narrative,  we  must  complete 
the  account  of  the  transactions  in  Portugal  before  we  again 
return  to  the  affairs  of  England.  15.  In  September,  1827, 
Don  Miguel  was  appointed  regent  by  his  brother,  and  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  assume  the  reins  of  power.  In  the 
following  year,  after  the  departure  of  the  English  troops,  he 

2  p 


434  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

usurped  the  crown  in  defiance  of  the  claims  of  his  niece, 
and  immediately  after  abrogated  the  constitution  and  pro- 
claimed himself  absolute.  The  young  queen  of  Portuga* 
had,  in  the  mean  time,  arrived  in  England,  but  finding  her 
friends  not  sufficiently  strong  to  overthrow  the  usurper,  she 
returned  to  her  father's  court  at  Rio  Janeiro. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  By  what  circumstances  have  the  English  ministers  been  long  embar 

rassed  ? 

2.  What  event  caused  a  change  in  the  ministry  ? 

3.  For  what  purpose  was  the  holy  alliance  formed  ? 

4.  How  was  the  Spanish  constitution  overthrown  ? 

5.  What  revolutions  occurred  in  South  America  ? 

6.  Did  any  European  nation  make  a  fierce  struggle  for  freedom  ? 

7.  What  remarkable  English  nobleman  died  while  aiding  the  Greeks  ? 

8.  Did  any  wars  take  place  in  the  British  colonies  ? 

9.  How  did  the  Burmese  war  terminate  ? 

10.  What  remarkable  circumstances  occurred  in  Ireland  ? 

11.  Did  parliament  adopt  any  measure  in  consequence  1 

12.  What  pecuniary  embarrassments  occurred  in  England  ? 

13.  How  was  public  attention  directed  to  the  affairs  of  Portugal  ? 

14.  In  what  manner  did  the  English  government  behave  ? 

15.  What  was  the  final  termination  of  the  struggle  in  Portugal  ? 


SECTION  III. 


We  cannot  walk,  or  sit,  or  ride,  or  travel, 

But  death  is  by  to  seize  us  when  he  lists.  —  Scott. 

1.  (A.D.  1827.)  Death  and  disease,  among  the  great  and 
noble  of  the  land,  produced  some  important  changes  in  the 
councils  of  Great  Britain.  On  the  5th  of  January,  his  royal 
highness  the  duke  of  York  died,  sincerely  and  generally 
lamented,  more  especially  by  the  army  ;  for  his  conduct  ever 
since  his  restoration  to  the  office  of  commander-in-chief,  had 
deservedly  procured  for  him  the  endearing  appellation  of 
"  the  soldier's  friend."  2.  On  the  17th  of  February,  the 
3arl  of  Liverpool,  prime  minister  of  England,  was  seized 
with  a  fit  of  apoplexy,  which  terminated  his  political  exist- 
ence, though  his  natural  life  was  prolonged  to  the  close  of 
the  succeeding  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Canning, 
whose  commanding  eloquence  and  enlightened  views  had 
made  him  almost  irresistible  in  the  house  of  commons.  3. 
But  the  additional  fatigues  imposed  upon  this  highly-gifted 
statesman,  and  the  fierce  opposition  he  had  to  encounter, 
proved  too  much  for  a  constitution  already  enfeebled  by 
neglected  disease ;  he  died  on   the  8th  of  August,  in  the 


tfEORGE  IV.  435 

fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  4.  Mr.  F.  Robinson,  having 
been  elevated  to  the  peerage,  by  the  title  of  lord  Goderich, 
was  next  appointed  premier,  but  his  administration  was 
loose  and  unsettled,  and  the  cabinet  which  he  had  formed 
soon  fell  to  pieces.  The  duke  of  Wellington  was  then 
called  by  his  majesty  to  preside  over  the  councils  of  Britain, 
and  aided  by  Mr.  Peel,  he  succeeded  in  forming  a  ministry, 
promising  more  firmness  and  stability  than  that  which  it 
succeeded. 

5.  The  atrocities  which  marked  the  warfare  between  the 
Greeks  and  Turks  were  so  shocking  to  humanity,  that  the 
sovereigns  of  Europe  felt  themselves  bound  to  interfere, 
and  a  treaty  for  the  pacification  of  Greece  was  signed,  in 
London,  on  the  6th  of  July,  1827,  by  the  representatives 
of  England,  France,  and  Russia.  6.  In  consequence  of 
this,  the  allied  fleets  in  the  Mediterranean  prepared  to  force 
the  combatants  to  consent  to  an  armistice,  and  blockaded 
the  Turkish  fleet  in  the  harbour  of  Navarino.  Ibrahim 
Pacha,  the  Turkish  commander  in  the  Morea,  paying  but 
little  attention  to  the  remonstrances  of  the  allied  admirals, 
the  united  fleets  sailed  into  the  harbour,  on  the  20th  of  Oc- 
tober, under  the  command  of  sir  Edward  Codrington,  to 
intimidate  him  into  submission.  7.  A  shot  fired  by  a 
Turkish  vessel  was  the  signal  for  a  general  engagement, 
which  lasted  four  hours.  It  terminated  in  the  almost  utter 
annihilation  of  the  Turkish  fleet,  with  comparatively  little 
loss  to  the  allied  squadrons.  The  independence  of  Greeee 
was  virtually  achieved  by  this  brilliant  victory,  and  was 
further  secured  by  the  arrival  of  a  small  military  force  from 
France ;  the  Turkish  government,  however,  refused  sub- 
mission, and  war  was  commenced  against  Russia.  8.  The 
events  of  this  war,  though  not  properly  belonging  to  Eng- 
lish history,  demand  a  brief  notice  ;  in  the  first  campaign 
the  Turks  made  an  obstinate  resistance,  and  gained  some 
advantages  over  their  opponents ;  but  in  the  following  year 
(1829),  the  Russian  arms  were  everywhere  successful  ;  the 
passages  of  the  Balkan  were  forced  ;  Adrianople,  the  second 
city  in  the  empire,  was  captured,  and  the  sultan  forced  to 
consent  to  terms  of  peaee,  dictated  almost  at  the  gates  of 
Constantinople.  9.  The  demands  of  Russia  were,  how- 
ever, less  exorbitant  than  might  have  been  expected  under 
the  circumstances,  but  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  this 
moderation  was  inspired  by  a  dread  of  provoking  the  jea- 
lousy and  resentment  of  England. 


436  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND 

10.  (A.  D.  18?8.)  After  the  resignation  of  lord  Goderich 
Mr.  Huskisson  and  some  other  friends  of  the  late  Mr.  Can- 
ning, had  joined  in  the  duke  of  Wellington's  administration, 
but  they  soon  found  that  little  harmony  could  exist  in  such 
a  coalition.  At  length  Mr.  Huskisson,  having  voted  against 
ministers,  tendered  his  resignation,  which  to  his  great  sur- 
prise and  mortification  was  accepted,  nor  could  all  his  sub- 
sequent efforts  alter  the  inflexible  spirit  of  the  duke  of  Wel- 
lington. The  time  of  the  house  of  commons  was  wasted 
in  the  discussion  of  this  and  similar  petty  disputes,  but  one 
act  of  the  session  made  an  important  change  in  the  forms 
of  the  constitution.  The  test  and  corporation  acts,  which 
required  the  receiving  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper, 
according  to  the  rites  of  the  church  of  England,  as  a  neces- 
sary qualification  for  office,  were  repealed  after  a  brief  par- 
liamentary struggle  ;  and  the  hopes  of  the  Roman  catholics, 
for  the  repeal  of  the  laws  by  which  they  were  excluded 
from  parliament,  were  greatly  raised  by  this  event.  A  mo- 
tion in  their  favour  was  made  by  sir  Francis  Burdett,  and 
carried  by  a  majority  of  six;  but  it  terminated  ineffectively, 
as  a  similar  motion  was  negatived  in  the  house  of  peers. 

11.  The  country  continued  to  be  agitated  by  the  catholic 
question  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  ;  on  the  one 
hand,  Brunswick  clubs  were  formed  by  the  advocates  of 
protestant  ascendency,  to  resist  all  further  concession ;  on 
the  other  side,  the  catholic  leaders  and  their  friends  strenu- 
ously exerted  themselves  to  render  the  cause  of  emancipa- 
tion popular.  In  Ireland,  the  agitation  was  so  violent  that 
there  was  reason  to  apprehend  a  civil  war :  the  most  in- 
temperate harangues  were  made  at  Brunswick  meetings  and 
in  the  Catholic  Association ;  it  was  manifest  that  nothing 
but  promptitude  and  decision  on  the  part  of  government 
could  avert  the  effusion  of  blood. 

12.  (A.  D.  1829.)  The  commencement  of  the  ensuing 
session  of  parliament  was  expected  by  all  parties  with  the 
utmost  anxiety  ;  and  it  was  not  without  surprise,  that  both 
parties  found  catholic  emancipation  recommended  in  the 
speech  from  the  throne.  A  bill  to  give  effect  to  this  re- 
commendation passed  both  houses  by  triumphant  majorities, 
though  not  without  encountering  a  vigorous  opposition,  and 
received  the  royal  assent  on  the  13th  of  April. 

13.  From  the  date  of  this  important  change  in  the  con 
stitution,  to  the  close  of  the  reign,  nothing  of  great  import- 
ance occurred  in  England  ;  but  in  France  the  dissatisfaction 


<3E0RGE  IV.  437 

of  the  people  with  their  rulers  became  daily  more  manifest 
An  expedition  was  undertaken  against  Algiers,  probably 
with  the  hope  of  diverting  the  attention  of  the  French  peo- 
ple from  politics,  to  what  had  been  so  long  their  favourite 
passion, — military  glory.  (A.  D.  1830.)  The  expedition 
was  eminently  successful ;  Algiers  was  captured,  and  the 
entire  presidency  subjected  to  the  power  of  France  :  but 
the  discontents  of  the  French  people  continued  to  rage  with 
as  much  violence  as  ever. 

14.  The  illness  of  the  king  in  the  commencement  of  the 
year  1830  threw  a  damp  on  public  affairs,  and  as  its  fatal 
tendency  became  more  apparent,  speculations  were  rife  on 
the  probable  political  conduct  of  his  successor.  After  a 
tedious  sickness,  which  he  sustained  with  great  fortitude 
and  resignation,  George  IV.  died  at  Windsor  Castle,  on  the 
25th  of  June.  The  reasons  already  assigned  for  omitting 
a  sketch  of  the  character  of  George  III.  are  in  the  present 
instance  still  more  forcibly  applicable  ;  we  shall  only  say 
of  him  as  a  distinguished  writer  has  said  of  Henry  IV.  of 
France, 

Oh !  be  his  failings  covered  by  his  tomb, 
And  guardian  laurels  o'er  his  ashes  bloom. 


Questions  for  Examination, 

1.  What  death  occurred  in  the  royal  family  ? 

2.  By  what  circumstance  was  Mr.  Canning  placed  at  the  head  of  the  mi- 

nistry ? 

3.  What  is  supposed  to  have  caused  Mr.  Canning's  death  ? 

4.  What  changes  took  place  in  consequence  of  Mr.  Canning's  death  ? 

5.  In  what  manner  did  the  European  sovereigns  endeavour  to  effect  the 

pacification  of  Greece  ? 

6.  What  caused  the  battle  of  Navarino  ? 

7.  What  were  the  consequences  of  the  battle  ? 

8.  How  did  the  Russian  war  with  Turkey  terminate  ? 

9.  Why  was  Russia  moderate  in  her  demands  ? 

10.  What  remarkable  circumstance  occurred  in  the  parliamentary  session 

of  1828? 

1 1 .  Was  the  British  nation  disturbed  by  the  agitation  of  any  important  question? 

12.  How  was  the  catholic  question  finally  settled  ? 

13.  Did  the  French  government  engage  in  any  important  expedition  ? 

14.  When  did  George  IV.  die  ? 


CONTEMPORARY  SOVEREIGNS. 


Popes.  A.D. 

Leo  XII 1823 

Emperor  of  Austria. 
Francis  II 1792 

King  of  Bavaria, 
Louis  Charles  Au- 


King  and  Electorate  of 

Bohemia.        a.d. 

Francis  II 1792 


King  of  Denmark. 
Frederic  VI 1808 


King  of  Hanover  a.d 
George  IV.  king  of 
Great  Britain. 


King  of  Naples  and 
Sicily. 
j  Ferdinand  IV.  rest.  1824 
King  of  France.         Francis      Janiver 

gustus 1825   Charles  X 18241     Joseph 1825 

2o2 


438 


HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 


King  of  the  Netherlands. 

AD. 

William  1 1813 


King  of  Poland. 
Nicholas  I.      see  Russia. 


ueen  of  Portugal. 
Donna    Maria   da 
Gloria. 1826 


King  of  Prussia,  a.d. 
Frederic  IV 1797 

Emperor  of  Russia. 
Nicholas  1 1825 

King  of  Sardinia. 
Charles  Felix 1821 

King  of  Saxony. 
Anthony  Clement.  1827 


King  of  Spain    n.T> 
Ferdinand  VII...    tSOb 
King  of  Sweden  and 
Norway. 

Charles  XIV 1818 

Grand  Seignior  of 
Turkey. 

MahrnoudH 1808 

King  of  Wirtemberg 
Frederic  William.  1816 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


WILLIAM  IV. 


Born  1765.    Began  to  reign  1830.    Pied  June  20, 1837. 

SECTION  I. 

The  love  of  liberty  with  life  is  given. 

And  life  itself  the  inferior  gift  of  heaven.  —  Dryden. 

1.  Rarely  has  the  accession  of  a  new  sovereign  afforded 
such  general  satisfaction,  as  was  manifested  by  all  classes, 
when  the  duke  of  Clarence  ascended  the  throne  with  the  title 
of  William  IV.  Unlike  his  predecessors,  his  habits  were 
economical  and  his  manners  familiar ;  he  exhibited  himself 
to  his  people,  conversed  with  them,  and  shared  in  their  tastes 
and  amusements ;  within  a  few  weeks  he  attained  an  unpre- 
cedented degree  of  popularity,  and  was  reverenced  by  his 
subjects  as  a  father,  and  loved  by  them  as  a  friend.  2.  No 
change  was  made  in  the  ministry  ,*  but  as  his  majesty  was 
connected  by  marriage  with  some  of  the  leading  whigs,  it 
was  generally  believed  that  the  policy  which  rigidly  excluded 
that  party  from  office  during  the  two  preceding  reigns, 
would  not  be  maintained  in  full  force.  The  hopes  of  a  coali- 
tion between  the  Wellington  administration  and  the  whigs 
were,  however,  soon  dispelled ;  the  opposition  to  the  minis- 
try, which  had  been  almost  nominal  during  the  preceding 
sessions,  was  more  than  usually  violent  in  the  debate  on  the 
address ;  and  though  the  formal  business  of  both  houses  was 
hurried  through  with  all  possible  despatch,  the  whigs  were 
pledged  to  a  virtual  declaration  of  war  against  the  cabinet 
before  the  prorogation  of  parliament. 

3.  The  parliament  was  dissolved  on  the  24th  of  July,  but 
before  it  could  be  again  convened,  a  revolution  in  a  neigh- 


WILLIAM    IV.  439 

bouring  country  produced  important  effects  on  the  public 
mind,  and  in  some  degree  convulsed  all  Europe.  Charles  X., 
in  defiance  of  the  wishes  and  feelings  of  the  great  majority 
of  the  French  people,  was  eager  to  restore  the  royal  and  so- 
cerdotal  power  to  the  eminence  which  both  possessed  before 
the  revolution.  He  found  in  prince  Polignac,  a  minister  able 
and  willing  to  second  his  projects,  and  he  placed  him  at  the 
head  of  the  cabinet.  Polignac  thought  that,  by  gratifying 
the  national  vanity  of  the  French,  and  indulging  their  pas- 
sion for  military  glory,  he  might  be  able  to  divert  their  atten- 
tion from  domestic  exploits :  previously  to  dissolving  the 
chamber  of  deputies,  he  therefore  proclaimed  war  against  the 
dey  of  Algiers,  who  had  committed  several  outrages  on  the 
subjects  of  France.  But  the  expectations  of  the  prince  were 
miserably  disappointed.  His  cabinet  was  assailed  with  a 
ferocity  and  violence  to  which  the  annals  of  constitutional 
warfare  furnish  no  parallel ;  and  as  the  actions  of  its  mem- 
bers afforded  no  opportunity  for  crimination,  their  opponents 
made  amends  by  attacking  their  presumed  designs  and  inten- 
tions. When  the  chamber  of  deputies  met,  an  address,  hos- 
tile to  the  ministry,  was  carried  by  a  large  majority.  4.  The 
king  instantly  prorogued  the  chambers ;  and  when  the  reduc- 
tion of  Algiers  had,  as  he  fondly  hoped,  gratified  the  nation, 
and  restored  his  popularity,  he  once  more  hazarded  the 
perilous  experiment  of  a  dissolution.  The  new  chamber  of 
deputies  was  still  more  hostile  than  the  preceding.  Polignac 
and  his  colleagues  saw  that  they  could  not  hope  to  retain 
their  power  by  constitutional  means,  and  in  an  evil  hour  they 
prepared  three  ordinances  by  which  the  French  charter  was 
virtually  annihilated.  The  first  dissolved  the  chambers 
before  they  assembled,  the  second  disfranchised  the  great 
body  of  electors ;  and  the  third  imposed  a  rigid  censorship 
on  the  press. 

5.  AVhen  these  ordinances  first  appeared  on  Monday,  the 
28th  of  July,  they  excited  astonishment  rather  than  indigna- 
tion ;  a  number  of  persons,  however,  connected  with  the 
journals  of  Paris,  assembled,  and  issued  a  manifesto,  in 
which  they  declared  their  resolution  to  resist,  by  all  the 
means  in  their  power,  the  enforcement  of  the  ordinance  im- 
posing restrictions  on  the  press.  Several  of  the  daily  jour- 
nals were  not  published  on  the  following  morning,  and  the 
printers  and  compositors,  engaged  in  their  preparation,  being 
left  without  employment,  formed  a  body  of  active  rioters. 
They  were  joined  by  the  workmen  from  several  manufac- 


440  HISTORY    OP    ENGLAND. 

tories,  the  proprietors  of  which  had  agreed  to  suspend  their 
business  during  the  crisis,  thus  throwing  into  the  streets  an 
insurrectionary  force,  whose  ferocity  was  more  formidable 
than  military  discipline.  Some  disturbances  took  place  at 
the  offices  of  two  journals,  the  proprietors  of  which  persisted 
in  publishing  appeals  to  the  populace ,  but  they  seemed  to  be 
of  so  little  importance,  that  Charles  went  to  enjoy  his  favourite 
amusement  of  hunting,  and  his  ministers,  with  similar  in- 
fatuation, neglected  to  strengthen  the  garrison  of  Paris. 
6.  In  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  the  appearance  of  the  military 
to  reinforce  the  police,  became  the  signal  for  the  commence- 
ment of  a  contest.  Several  lives  were  lost,  but  the  soldiers 
succeeded  in  dispersing  the  riotous  mobs ;  and  when  they  re- 
turned to  their  barracks,  Marshal  Marmont,  the  military 
commander  of  Paris,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  king,  congratula- 
ting him  on  the  restoration  of  tranquillity;  and  the  ministers 
prepared  their  last  ordinance,  declaring  the  capital  to  be  in  a 
state  of  siege. 

7.  But  the  apparent  triumph  of  the  royalists  was  delusive  ; 
scarcely  were  the  troops  withdrawn  when  all  the  lamps  in 
Paris  were  broken,  and  the  citizens,  protected  by  darkness, 
made  energetic  preparations  for  the  struggle  of  the  ensuing 
day  ;  barricades  were  erected,  arms  were  procured. from  the 
shops,  the  theatres,  and  the  police-stations,  and  the  arsenal 
and  powder  magazine  were  seized  by  the  populace.  When 
the  morning  of  Wednesday  dawned,  Marmont  beheld  with 
alarm  the  tri-coloured  flag,  the  banner  of  insurrection,  waiv- 
ing from  the  towers  of  the  cathedral,  and  the  preparations 
made  on  all  sides  for  an  obstinate  struggle.  He  instantly 
wrote  to  the  king,  recommending  conciliatory  measures,  but 
receiving  no  answer,  he  prepared  to  act  on  his  previous  in- 
structions. Dividing  his  troops  into  four  columns,  he  direct- 
ed them  to  move  in  different  directions,  and  make  circuits 
through  the  principal  streets  occupied  by  the  insurgents.  A 
series  of  sanguinary  conflicts  took  place,  in  all  of  which  the 
royalists  were  worsted  ;  the  troops  of  the  line  manifested  the 
greatest  reluctance  to  fire  upon  their  countrymen  ;  some  of 
them  disobeyed  orders,  and  others  went  over  to  the  insur- 
gents. When  evening  closed,  the  soldiers  had  been  beaten 
at  every  point,  and  they  returned  to  their  barracks  wearied 
and  disappointed.  No  provision  was  made  for  their  refresh- 
ment after  the  toils  of  the  day,  while  all  the  houses  in  Paris 
were  freely  opened  to  the  insurgents,  and  the  citizens  vied 


WILLIAM    IV.  441 

with  each  other  in  supplying  them  with  every  thing  that  they 
needed. 

8.  The  struggle  was  renewed  with  great  fury  on  the 
morning  of  the  third  day ;  Marmont  and  the  ministers,  now 
convinced  of  their  danger,  proposed  a  suspension  of  arms; 
but  before  anything  decisive  could  be  effected,  two  regiments 
of  the  line  unfixed  their  bayonets,  and  went  over  to  the  in- 
surgents in  a  body.  The  populace  reinforced  by  these, 
rushed  through  the  gap  thus  opened,  carried  the  Louvre  by 
storm,  and  opened  from  this  position  a  terrible  fire  on  the 
column  of  the  royal  army.  Under  this  new  attack  the  sol- 
diers reeled;  their  assailants  saw  them  waver,  and  charging 
with  resistless  impetuosity,  drove  them  to  a  precipitate  re- 
treat. Marmont  and  his  staff  escaped  with  great  difficulty, 
his  scattered  detachments  were  taken  or  cut  to  pieces ;  before 
three  o'clock  Paris  was  tranquil,  and  the  victory  of  the  peo- 
ple complete. 

9.  The  members  of  the  chamber  of  deputies,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  Paris,  met  at  the  house  of  M.  Lafltte,  and  orga- 
nized a  provisional  government ;  and  on  the  following  Friday 
they  proclaimed  the  duke  of  Orleans  lieutenant-general  of 
the  kingdom.  On  the  3d  of  August  the  chambers  met,  pur- 
suant to  the  original  writs  of  convocation,  and  the  national 
representatives  raised  the  duke  of  Orleans  to  the  throne, 
under  the  title  of  Louis  Philippe  I.,  king  of  the  French. 
Charles  X.  was  dismissed  to  exile  with  contemptuous  hu- 
manity ;  but  the  efforts  of  the  new  government  to  protect  the 
obnoxious  ministers  almost  produced  a  new  civil  war.  Four 
of  these  unfortunate  men,  arrested  by  individual  zeal,  were 
brought  to  trial ;  an  infuriated  mob  clamoured  for  their  blood, 
but  their  judges  had  the  firmness  to  sentence  them  to  per- 
petual imprisonment ;  and  soon  after  their  removal  to  their 
destined  place  of  confinement,  public  tranquillity  was  restored. 

10.  The  revolution  of  Paris  was  closely  followed  by  that 
of  Brussels.  The  union  of  Belgium  with  Holland  by  the 
treaty  of  Vienna  was  an  arrangement  which  contained  no 
elements  of  stability,  for  the  Belgians  and  the  Dutch  were 
aliens  to  each  other  in  language,  religion,  and  blood.  The 
arbitrary  measures  of  the  king  of  Holland's  prime  minister 
provoked  a  formidable  riot  in  Brussels,  on  the  night  of  the 
25th  of  August,  which  the  indecision,  cowardice,  and  stu- 
pidity of  the  Dutch  authorities,  fostered  into  a  revolutionary 
war.  The  prince  of  Orange  made  some  efforts  to  mediate 
between  the  contending  parties,  but  he  only  exposed  himself 


442  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

to  the  suspicions  of  both ;  and,  after  a  brief  struggle,  Bel- 
gium was  severed  from  the  dominions  of  the  house  of 
Nassau. 

11.  Several  insurrectionary  movements  took  place  in  Ger- 
many ;  the  duke  of  Brunswick  was  deposed,  and  replaced 
by  his  brother ;  the  king  of  Saxony  was  forced  to  resign  in 
favour  of  his  nephew,  and  the  elector  of  Hesse  was  compelled 
to  grant  a  constitutional  charter  to  his  subjects.  Poland 
next  became  the  theatre  of  war ;  its  Russian  governor,  the 
archduke  Constantine,  was  expelled,  and  the  independence  of 
the  country  proclaimed  ;  but  after  a  long  and  sanguinary 
struggle,  the  gallant  Poles  were  forced  to  yield  to  the  gigan- 
tic power  of  Russia. 

12.  In  England,  the  rural  districts,  especially  Kent  and 
the  northern  counties,  exhibited  alarming  signs  of  popular 
discontent ;  but  the  agitation  in  Ireland  was  of  a  still  more 
dangerous  character,  and  seemed  to  threaten  the  dismember- 
ment of  the  empire.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  for  the  opening 
of  parliament,  and  the  developement  of  the  line  of  policy 
which  the  ministers  would  adopt  at  such  a  crisis.  It  was 
with  surprise  that  the  people  learned  from  the  premier,  on 
the  very  first  night  of  the  session,  that  not  only  he  was  un- 
prepared to  bring  forward  any  measure  of  reform,  but  that 
he  would  strenuously  oppose  any  change  in  parliamentary 
representation.  13.  The  unpopularity  which  the  duke  of 
Wellington  seemed  almost  to  have  courted  by  this  declara- 
tion, was  studiously  aggravated  by  the  arts  of  his  opponents ; 
and  when  the  king  had  accepted  the  invitation  of  the  Lord 
Mayor  to  dine  with  the  citizens  on  the  9th  of  November,  a 
letter  was  sent  to  the  duke  of  Wellington  by  a  city  magis- 
trate, warning  him  that  he  would  be  insulted,  perhaps  in- 
jured, by  the  mob,  if  he  did  not  come  protected  by  a  military 
escort.  The  ministers  in  alarm  resolved  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
entire  proceedings,  and  on  the  8th  of  November,  to  the  great 
astonishment  of  the  public,  it  was  announced,  not  only  that 
the  king's  visit  would  be  postponed,  but  that  there  would  be 
neither  the  usual  civic  procession  in  honour  of  the  new  Lord 
Mayor,  nor  the  dinner  in  the  Guild-hall,  for  which  great 
preparations  had  been  made,  in  consequence,  as  was  alleged, 
of  some  seditious  conspiracy.  The  first  effect  of  the  an- 
nouncement was  a  general  panic;  the  funds  fell  four  per 
cent,  in  one  day,  and  the  whole  country  was  filled  with 
anxiety  and  alarm.  But  when  it  was  discovered  that  no 
serious   grounds   existed  for   the  apprehensions  which  had 


WILLIAM    IV.  443 

been  excited,  all  who  had  a  share  in  exciting  it  were  assailed 
with  a  tempest  of  indignant  ridicule,  which  even  a  stronger 
cabinet  than  that  of  the  duke  of  Wellington  could  not  have 
resisted.  14.  When  the  ministerial  measure  for  the  arrange- 
ment for  the  civil  list  was  introduced,  Sir  Henry  Parnell 
moved  a  resolution  which  implied  that  the  ministers  no  longer 
possessed  the  confidence  of  parliament.  After  a  calm  de- 
bate, marked  by  unusual  moderation  on  both  sides,  the  reso- 
lution was  carried  in  a  full  house  by  a  majority  of  twenty- 
nine  votes ;  the  duke  of  Wellington  and  his  colleagues 
instantly  resigned,  and  earl  Grey  received  his  majesty's  com- 
mands to  form  a  new  administration. 

15.  Earl  Grey's  ministry  was  formed  of  the  leaders  of 
the  old  whig  party  and  the  friends  of  the  late  Mr.  Canning ; 
the  most  remarkable  appointment  was  that  of  Mr.  Brougham 
to  the  office  of  Lord  Chancellor,  as  a  very  few  days  before 
his  elevation,  he  had  declared  "  no  change  that  may  take 
place  in  the  administration  can  by  any  possibility  affect 
me."  His  immediate  acceptance  of  a  peerage  and  office 
consequently  excited  surprise,  and  provoked  harsh  comments. 
Parliament  adjourned  for  a  short  time  to  give  the  new  minis- 
ters an  opportunity  for  maturing  their  plans,  which  were 
stated  by  the  premier  to  include  economy  and  retrenchment 
at  home,  non-interference  in  the  affairs  of  foreign  states,  and 
a  reform  in  the  commons'  house  of  parliament. 

16.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  about  the  nature  of  the  reform 
which  the  ministers  would  propose.  Their  measure  was 
developed  to  the  house  of  commons  by  lord  John  Russell,  on 
the  1st  of  March,  1831,  and  it  was  found  to  include  a 
greater  amount  of  change  than  had  been  anticipated  either 
by  friends  or  enemies.  All  boroughs  not  containing  two 
thousand  inhabitants  were  totally  disfranchised,  those  that 
had  less  than  four  thousand  were  restricted  to  returning  one 
member,  and  the  rights  of  representation  of  which  these 
were  deprived,  were  given  to  large  manufacturing  towns, 
four  districts  of  the  metropolis,  and  to  divisions  of  the  large 
counties.  Similar  changes  were  proposed  in  the  representa- 
tion of  Scotland  and  Ireland. 

17.  A  measure  which  involved  so  important  a  change  in 
the  constitution,  was  one  which  necessarily  provoked  pro- 
tracted discussions.  The  debate  on  its  introduction  lasted 
seven  nights  ;  the  second  reading  of  the  bill  was  only  carried 
by  a  majority  of  one.  The  ministers  were  subsequently  de- 
feated on  two  divisions,  and  were  compelled  either  to  resign 


444  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

vheir  situations  or  dissolve  the  parliament.  His  majesty 
carried  his  resolution  into  effect  to  support  the  cabinet  by 
dissolving  the  parliament  in  person,  and  an  appeal  was  then 
nade  to  the  people,  on  the  most  important  constitutional 
question  that  had  been  raised  since  the  accession  of  the 
house  of  Hanover. 

18'.  The  event  of  the  elections  more  than  answered  the 
expectations  of  the  most  ardent  reformer.  When  the  new 
parliament  met,  it  appeared  that  fully  two-thirds  of  the  repre- 
sentatives were  pledged  to  support  the  minister.  The  pro- 
gress of  the  Reform  Bill  through  the  house  of  commons 
though  slow  was  certain,  and  on  the  22d  of  September  it  was 
sent  up  to  the  lords.  Its  fate  in  the  upper  house  was  very 
different ;  it  was  rejected  on  a  second  reading  by  a  majority 
of  forty-one.  This  decision  produced  violent  and  even  dan- 
gerous excitement :  but  the  promptitude  with  which  the  house 
of  commons,  on  the  motion  of  lord  Ebrington,  pledged  itself 
to  the  support  of  the  ministers  and  their  measure,  calmed  the 
agitation  in  the  metropolis  and  the  greater  part  of  the  coun- 
try. Serious  riots,  however,  took  place  at  Derby  and  Not- 
ingham,  which  were  not  quelled  until  considerable  mischief 
had  been  perpetrated ;  Bristol  suffered  still  more  severely 
from  the  excesses  of  an  infuriate  mob,  and  the  disturbances 
were  not  suppressed  until  an  immense  quantity  of  public  and 
private  property  had  been  wantonly  destroyed. 

19.  In  the  midst  of  this  political  excitement  the  country 
was  visited  by  a  pestilential  disease,  called  the  Asiastic  cho- 
lera, which  proved  very  destructive,  though  its  ravages  were 
not  so  great  in  England  as  in  some  parts  of  the  continent. 
This  must,  under  Providence,  be  attributed  to  the  judicious 
measures  adopted  by  the  government,  and  to  the  zealous  ex- 
ertions of  all  the  gentlemen  connected  with  the  medical  pro- 
fession throughout  the  empire.  In  Ireland  agrarian  insur- 
rections were  added  to  the  horrors  of  pestilence ;  the  peas- 
ants, driven  to  desperation  by  famine  and  oppression  on  the 
one  hand,  and  stimulated  by  the  violent  harangues  of  itiner- 
ent  demagogues  on  the  other,  committed  several  atrocious 
outrages,  which  could  not  be  restrained  by  the  ordinary 
operations  of  constitutional  law.  France  and  Italy  were 
also  disturbed  by  insurrectionary  movements,  which  were, 
however,  soon  suppressed ;  and  the  revolution  of  Belgium 
was  completed,  by  its  being  formed  into  a  monarchy  under 
prince  Leopold  of  Saxe  Coburg,  whose  chief  recommenda* 
tion  was  his  connection  with  the  royal  family  of  England, 


WILLIAM    IV.  445 

20.  These  circumstances  induced  the  ministers  to  convene 
parliament  for  the  third  time  within  the  year ;  the  Reform 
Bill  was  again  introduced,  and  after  the  second  reading  had 
been  carried  by  a  decisive  majority,  the  houses  adjourned  till 
the  commencement  of  the  following  year.  When  they  re- 
assembled, the  Reform  Bill  was  carried  steadily  through  its 
remaining  stages  in  the  lower  house,  and  once  more  brought 
into  the  house  of  peers,  where  its  fate  was  regarded  with 
great  anxiety.  Several  of  its  former  opponents,  called  wa- 
yerers,  had  resolved  to  vote  for  the  second  reading,  with  the 
hope  that  the  measure  might  be  greatly  modified  in  com- 
mittee, and  by  their  aid  the  bill  passed  this  important  stage 
by  a  majority  of  nine.  But  the  ministers  had  no  reason  to 
boast  of  this  success ;  more  than  twenty  of  those  who  had 
supported  the  second  reading  were  pledged  to  resist  the  most 
important  clauses,  and  by  their  aid,  a  motion  for  instruction 
to  the  committee  on  the  bill,  which  virtually  took  all  control 
over  the  measure  out  of  the  hands  of  its  proposers,  was 
carried  by  a  majority  of  thirty-five.  Lord  Grey,  in  con- 
junction with  his  colleagues,  proposed  to  the  king  a  new 
creation  of  peers ;  his  majesty  refused  his  assent  to  so  ex- 
treme a  measure,  and  alt  the  members  of  the  cabinet  in- 
stantly resigned.  The  king  then  applied  to  the  duke  of 
Wellington  to  form  a  new  administration,  and  his  grace  un- 
dertook the  task  under  circumstances  of  greater  difficulty 
than  had  yet  been  encountered  by  a  British  statesman.  Op- 
posed by  the  bulk  of  the  nation  and  by  a  large  majority  of 
the  house  of  commons,  the  duke  soon  discovered  that  it 
would  be  out  of  his  power  to  form  a  ministry ;  he  therefore 
resigned  the  commission,  and  advised  the  king  to  recall  his 
former  advisers.  Lord  Grey  returned  to  power,  having  se- 
cured the  success  of  the  Reform  Bill  by  a  compromise  with 
its  opponents.  It  was  agreed  that  the  ministers  should  not 
create  peers,  but  that  the  leaders  of  the  opposition  should 
secede  from  the  house  until  the  Reform  Bill  became  the  law 
of  the  land.  Under  these  circumstances  the  measure  was 
passed  without  any  impediment  through  its  remaining  stages, 
and  on  the  7th  of  June  it  received  the  royal  assent. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  How  was  the  accession  of  William  IV.  received  ? 

2.  What  was  the  state  of  parties  at  the  commencement  of  the  new 

reign  ? 

3.  With  what  design  did  the  French  ministers  declare  war  against  Algiers  ? 

2P 


446  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

4.  What  ordinances  were  issued  by  Polignac  ? 

5.  How  were  they  received  in  Paris  ? 

6.  "When  did  the  contest  between  the  citizens  of  Paris  and  the  royal 

troops  begin  ? 

7.  In  what  condition  was  the  royal  cause  after  the  second  day's  struggle 

in  Paris  ? 

8.  How  was  the  contest  in  Paris  terminated  ? 

9.  Was  any  change  made  in  the  government  of  France  ? 

10.  Did  the  French  revolution  produce  any  effect  in  Belgium  ? 

11.  Were  there  any  insurrectionary  movements  in  other  parts  of  the  con- 

tinent ? 

12.  What  remarkable  declaration  was  made  by  the  duke  of  Wellington  ? 

13.  Why  was  the  king's  visit  to  the  city  postponed  ? 

14.  How  was  the  Wellington  administration  dissolved  ? 

15.  On  what  principle  was  lord  Grey's  ministry  constructed  ? 

16.  What  was  the  general  nature  of  the  Reform  Bill  ? 

17.  How  was  it  received  on  its  first  introduction  into  the  house  of  com- 

mons ? 

18.  What  was  the  fate  of  the  Reform  Bill  in  the  new  parliament  ? 

19.  In  what  condition  were  Great  Britain  and  the  continent  at  this  crisis? 

20.  How  was  the  Reform  Bill  ultimately  carried  ? 


SECTION  II. 

The  palace  sounds  with  wail, 

The  courtly  dames  are  pale, 
A  widow  o'er  the  purple  bows,  and  weeps  its  splendour  dim : 

And  we  who  clasp  the  boon, 

A  king  for  freedom  won. 
Do  feel  eternity  rise  up  between  our  thanks  and  him.  —  Anon. 

1.  (A.  D.  1833— 7.)  The  revolution  in  France,  the  ex- 
citement  attending  the  agitation  of  the  Reform  Bill  in  Eng- 
land, the  difficulty  which  impeded  the  arrangement  of  the 
affairs  of  Belgium,  and  the  war  in  Poland,  threatened  con- 
sequences fatal  to  the  peace  of  Europe ;  it  was  only  by  slow 
degrees  that  the  agitated  waves  were  stilled,  and  appearances 
more  than  once  seemed  to  threaten  a  renewal  of  the  storm. 
Louis  was  zealously  supported  by  the  middle  classes  in 
France,  but  he  was  exposed  to  the  plots  of  the  Carlists  and 
republicans,  who  were  equally  hostile  to  the  continuance  of 
a  government  so  adverse  to  their  favourite  schemes.  A  Car- 
list  insurrection  in  the  south  of  France,  and  a  republican  riot 
at  the  funeral  of  General  Lamarque  in  Paris,  threatened  to 
involve  the  nation  in  the  perils  of  a  civil  war ;  but  the  re- 
publicans were  unable  to  withstand  the  firmness  of  the  na- 
tional guard,  and  the  capture  of  the  duchess  of  Berri  put 
an  end  to  the  war  in  the  south  of  France. 

2.  Don  Pedro  had  resigned  the  crown  of  Portugal  when 
he  was  chosen  emperor  of  Brazil ;  but  when  he  was  deposed 
by  his  South  American  subjects,  he  resolved  to  support  his 


WILLIAM    IV.  447 

daughter's  claims  to  the  throne  of  Portugal.  Having  se- 
cretly organized  a  considerable  force  of  English  and  French 
adventurers,  he  effected  a  landing  near  Oporto,  and  took 
possession  of  that  city.  He  expected  an  insurrection,  but 
none  took  place ;  and  he  was  closely  besieged  in  the  city  by 
the  usurper  Miguel.  A  desultory  war  ensued,  distinguished 
by  no  remarkable  events,  until  Miguel's  fleet  was  captured 
by  Admiral  Napier  with  a  very  inferior  force ;  after  which 
Lisbon  was  surprised  by  the  constitutional  forces,  and  the 
usurper  driven  into  exile.  Don  Pedro's  death,  which  soon 
followed  his  victory,  did  no  injury  to  the  constitutional  cause, 
and  his  daughter,  Donna  Maria  de  Gloria,  remains  in  undis- 
turbed possession  of  the  crown  of  Portugal. 

3.  The  influence  of  Russia  was  exercised  in  resisting  the 
progress  of  liberal  opinion  in  Germany,  but  was  more  alarm- 
ingly displayed  in  the  east  of  Europe.  Mohammed  Ali,  the 
pacha  of  Egypt,  threw  off  his  allegiance  to  the  sultan,  and 
sent  his  son  Ibrahim  to  invade  Syria.  The  superior  disci- 
pline of  the  Egyptian  troops  rendered  their  victories  easy, 
and  Ibrahim  might  have  advanced  to  the  suburbs  of  Constan- 
tinople, and  perhaps  have  taken  that  city,  had  not  the  sultan 
sought  protection  from  the  Czar.  A  Russian  armament  de- 
livered the  Ottoman  empire  from  the  impending  peril,  but 
the  acceptance  of  such  aid  rendered  the  sultan  a  dependant 
on  the  court  of  St.  Petersburg. 

4.  Such  was  the  state  of  Europe  when  the  British  parlia- 
ment was  dissolved,  and  a  new  election  held  pursuant  to  the 
provisions  of  the  Reform  Bill.  In  England  and  Scotland  the 
ministers  had  very  large  majorities,  but  in  Ireland  a  new 
party  mustered  in  considerable  force,  consisting  of  members 
pledged  to  support  the  repeal  of  the  union.  5.  One  of  the 
earliest  measures  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the  re- 
formed parliament,  was  a  coercion  bill  for  suppressing  the 
agrarian  disturbances  in  Ireland,  and  checking  the  political 
agitation  by  which  these  tumults  were  in  some  measure  en- 
couraged. The  bill  passed  the  lords  without  difficulty ;  but 
in  the  lower  house  it  encountered  so  fierce  an  opposition,  that 
the  ministers  were  compelled  to  abandon  some  of  the  most 
obnoxious  clauses.  With  the  coercion  bill  a  measure  for  the 
regulation  of  the  Irish  church  was  very  closely  connected. 
The  Irish  church  stands  in  the  unpopular  predicament  of 
possessing  a  wealthy  national  establishment,  while  the  great 
majority  of  the  people  belong  not  merely  to  a  different,  but 
to  a  hostile  faith ;  impediments  have  consequently  been  of- 


448  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

fered  to  the  collection  of  its  revenues,  and  there  has  scarcely 
been  any  popular  disturbance  in  Ireland  during  the  greater 
part  of  a  century,  which  has  not  been  more  or  less  remotely 
connected  with  the  tithe-question.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, the  conservative  party  generally  supported  the  claims 
of  the  church  in  their  full  efficiency  ;  the  moderate  reformers 
proposed,  that  after  provision  had  been  made  for  all  neces- 
sary ecclesiastical  uses,  the  surplus  should  be  applied  to  some 
object  of  public  utility,  such  as  national  education  ;  and  a 
third  party,  stronger  in  zeal  than  numbers,  regarded  the  pro- 
perty of  the  church  as  a  fund  that  might  be  seized  for  the 
purposes  of  the  state.  The  ministers  steered  a  middle  course 
between  the  extreme  parties,  and  of  course  gave  perfect  satis- 
faction to  neither;  they  abolished  ten  bishoprics,  but  they 
abandoned  the  clause  for  applying  the  surplus  to  purposes 
not  purely  ecclesiastical,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  passage  of 
the  bill  through  the  house  of  lords.  The  motion  was  ren- 
dered more  agreeable  to  the  Irish  clergy,  than  it  would  other- 
wise have  been,  by  the  grant  of  a  million  sterling  as  a  loan, 
in  lieu  of  the  arrears  of  tithes  which  they  were  unable  to 
collect. 

6.  The  renewal  of  the  charter  of  the  bank  of  England, 
led  to  some  important  discussions  on  the  financial  state  of 
the  country  ;  but  much  more  important  was  the  change  made 
in  the  constitution  of  the  East  India  Company.  While  that 
body  was  secured  in  its  political  rights  over  the  vast  empire 
which  it  had  acquired  in  Hindostan,  it  was  deprived  of  its 
exclusive  privileges  of  commerce,  and  the  trade  with  India 
and  China  was  freely  opened  to  all  the  subjects  of  the  British 
crown.  Equally  great  was  the  change  made  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  British  West  India  colonies  by  the  total  abolition 
of  negro  slavery ;  the  service  of  the  negro  was  changed  into 
a  compulsory  apprenticeship  for  a  limited  time,  and  a  com- 
pensation of  twenty  millions  sterling  was  granted  to  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  slaves. 

7.  Notwithstanding  the  importance  and  value  of  these 
changes,  the  reformed  parliament  was  far  from  satisfying  the 
expectations  which  had  been  rather  too  sanguinely  formed 
by  the  people.  Some  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  at  the 
limited  amount  of  the  reductions  of  taxation,  the  continuance 
of  the  corn  laws,  and  of  military  flogging,  and  the  impress- 
ment of  seamen.  It  was  also  suspected  that  the  cabinet  was 
itself  divided  on  more  than  one  question  of  public  policy. 

8.  In  the  United  States  some  discussions  arose,  in  which 


WILLIAM  IV.  449 

the  interests  of  England,  as  a  commercial  country,  were  ma* 
terially  involved.  The  tariff  sanctioned  by  congress,  im- 
posing heavy  duties  on  the  import  of  manufactured  goods, 
was  strenuously  opposed  by  the  southern  states,  especially 
the  Carolinas,  and  an  appeal  to  arms  was' threatened.  With 
some  difficulty  a  compromise  was  effected,  but  the  attack 
thus  made  on  the  permanance  of  the  union  is  still  felt  in 
America.  The  hostility  of  the  American  president  to  the 
banking  system,  induced  him  to  withdraw  the  public  de- 
posites  from  the  bank  of  the  United  States,  and  a  violent 
shock  was  thus  given  to  commercial  credit,  which  produced 
injurious  results  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic. 

9.  The  agitation  in  Ireland  for  the  repeal  of  the  union 
was  continued  during  the  recess  ,*  and  soon  after  the  meeting 
of  parliament,  Mr.  O'Connell  introduced  the  subject  into  the 
house  of  commons.  His  motion  was  rejected  by  a  majority 
of  five  hundred  and  twenty  against  fifty-eight,  but  at  the 
same  time  parliament  pledged  itself  "  to  remove  all  just 
cause  of  complaint,  to  promote  all  well-considered  measures 
of  improvement."  But  on  the  nature  of  these  measures  the 
cabinet  was  divided,  and  the  majority  having  evinced  a  dis- 
position to  appropriate  the  surplus  ecclesiastical  revenues  to 
secular  purposes  of  general  utility,  the  earl  of  Ripon,  the 
duke  of  Richmond,  Mr.  Stanley,  and  sir  James  Graham,  re* 
signed  their  offices.  Their  places  were  soon  supplied,  bu 
the  changes  were  very  distasteful  to  the  house  of  lords,  and 
the  new  Irish  tithe-bill  was  rejected  by  a  decisive  majority. 

10.  Another  Irish  question  led  to  further  changes  in  the 
ministry.  In  the  discussion  on  the  renewal  of  the  coercion 
bill,  it  appeared  that  some  members  had  agreed  to  certain 
compromises  with  its  opponents  of  which  their  colleagues 
were  ignorant.  The  disclosure  of  these  negotiations  led  to 
the  resignation  of  lords  Althorp  and  Grey,  the  former  of 
whom,  however,  returned  to  the  office  when  lord  Melbourne 
was  appointed  premier.  These  ministerial  dissensions  and 
the  opposite  views  of  the  majorities  in  the  houses  of  lords 
and  commorfs,  greatly  impeded  the  progress  of  legislation  ; 
almost  the  only  important  measure  of  the  session  was  a  bill 
for  the  reform  of  the  poor-laws,  which,  though  it  effected 
very  great  changes,  was  not  much  connected  with  party 
politics. 

11.  The  anomalous  position  of  the  government  gave 
general  dissatisfaction ;  the  cabinet  was  assailed  with  equal 
violence  by  the  conservatives  and  the  extreme  section  of  the 

2p2 


450  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

reformers,  and  the  king  soon  began  to  show  that  he  was  by 
no  means  satisfied  with  the  conduct  of  his  ministers,  espe- 
cially the  lord  chancellor,  who,  during  a  tour  in  Scotland, 
had  made  some  inconsistent  and  extraordinary  speeches  at 
various  public  meetings.  On  the  death  of  earl  Spencer,  lord 
Althorp  was  obliged  to  vacate  his  office  of  chancellor  of  the 
exchequer,  and  the  king  took  this  opportunity  of  dismissing 
the  Melbourne  administration.  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  appoint- 
ed premier,  but  as  he  was  absent  on  the  continent,  the  duke 
of  Wellington  undertook  the  management  of  public  affairs 
till  his  return. 

12.  After  sir  Robert  Peel's  return,  and  the  formation  of 
his  cabinet,  the  parliament  was  dissolved,  and  a  new  election 
brought  the  strength  of  parties  to  a  very  severe  test.  In 
England  the  partizans  of  sir  Robert  Peel's  administration  had 
a  small  majority ;  but  in  Ireland,  an  unfortunate  affray  at 
Rathcormack,  arising  from  an  attempt  to  enforce  the  pay- 
ment of  tithes,  so  exasperated  the  catholic  population,  that 
the  ministerial  candidates  were  almost  everywhere  unsuc- 
cessful. When  the  parliament  assembled,  the  ministers  were 
beaten  at  the  very  outset  in  the  choice  of  a  speaker ;  Mr. 
Abercromby,  the  opposition  candidate,  having  been  preferred 
to  the  ministerial  candidate,  sir  Charles  Sutton,  by  a  majority 
of  ten.  Several  other  motions  were  decided  against  the 
ministers,  but  none  that  involved  a  necessity  for  resignation, 
until  lord  John  Russell  proposed  a  resolution,  that  any  mea- 
sure introduced  regarding  Irish  tithes  should  be  founded  on 
the  principle  of  appropriating  the  surplus  revenue  to  purposes 
of  general  utility.  The  motion  was  carried  by  a  majority  of 
twenty-three ;  sir  Robert  Peel  and  his  colleagues  immediately 
resigned,  and  the  Melbourne  cabinet  was  restored,  with  the 
remarkable  exception  of  lord  Brougham,  whose  place,  as 
chancellor,  was  supplied  by  lord  Cottenham. 

13.  A  bill  for  reforming  the  corporations  of  England, 
founded  on  the  report  of  commissioners  appointed  to  investi- 
gate the  condition  of  these  bodies,  was  immediately  intro- 
duced by  the  Melbourne  administration,  and  passed  without 
difficulty  through  the  house  of  commons.  Some  important 
changes  were  made  in  the  measure  during  its  progress 
through  the  house  of  lords,  but  the  ministers  deemed  it  better 
to  accept  these  modifications  than  to  risk  the  loss  of  the  bill. 
A  law  for  regulating  the  marriages  of  dissenters  was  also 
passed  by  both  houses,  but  the  ministerial  measures  for  regu- 
lating the  Irish  church  were  again  rejected  by  the  house  of 
lords. 


WILLIAM    IV.  451 

14.  The  state  of  Canada  began  to  occupy  a  large  share 
of  public  attention  during  the  latter  part  of  the  session ;  the 
colonial  house  of  assembly  opposed  the  measures  of  govern- 
ment, and  went  to  the  extreme  of  withholding  the  supplies. 
Commissioners  were  sent  to  arrange  these  differences,  but 
the  Canadians  of  French  descent  made  claims,  not  only  in- 
consistent with  the  continuance  of  British  dominion,  but  with 
the  fair  claims  to  protection  of  the  British  emigrants  who 
had  settled  in  the  country,  and  their  demands  were  conse- 
quently rejected. 

15.  During  the  struggle  between  the  nicely  balanced  par- 
ties in  England,  the  aspect  of  continental  affairs  was  favour- 
able to  the  continuance  of  peace.  An  attempt  was  made  on 
the  life  of  the  king  of  the  French,  and  various  plots  were 
formed  by  enthusiastic  republicans  to  effect  a  revolution,  but 
the  friends  of  order  rallied  round  the  throne,  and  the  only  re- 
sult of  these  attacks  was  to  increase  the  strength  of  the 
government.  Spain  was  distracted  by  the  horrors  of  a  dis- 
puted succession.  A  little  before  the  death  of  Ferdinand 
VII.,  the  Salic  law,  which  had  been  introduced  by  the  Bour- 
bon dynasty,  was  set  aside  in  favour  of  that  monarch's  infant 
daughter ;  and  she  succeeded  to  the  throne  after  her  father's 
decease  (1833).  Don  Carlos  and  his  partizans  protested 
against  this  arrangement,  and  they  took  advantage  of  the 
unpopularity  of  the  regent  to  kindle  the  flames  of  civil  war. 
To  prevent  the  necessity  of  again  returning  to  this  subject, 
we  may  mention  here  that  this  war  still  continues  ;  that  the 
queen  regent,  though  aided  by  a  British  auxiliary  legion,  has 
failed  to  establish  her  authority  over  the  northern  provinces, 
and  that  so  completely  disorganized  is  the  entire  condition  of 
society  in  the  peninsula,  that  there  is  no  present  prospect  of 
its  being  speedily  restored  to  a  state  of  order  and  settled  gov- 
ernment. Though  the  civil  war  in  Portugal  has  not  been 
renewed,  the  country  continues  to  be  distracted  by  contests 
between  rival  parties,  whose  struggles  are  too  often  decided 
by  open  force  rather  than  constitutional  means. 

16.  The  commencement  of  the  parliamentary  session  in 
1836,  showed  that  the  differences  between  the  majority  of 
the  lords  and  the  majority  of  the  commons  were  far  from 
being  reconciled.  They  were  at  issue  principally  on  the  line 
of  policy  that  ought  to  be  pursued  towards  Ireland,  and  on 
the  measures  for  regulating  the  established  church  in  Eng- 
land and  Ireland.  It  was  proposed  that  the  Irish  corporations 
should  be  reformed  according  to  the  plan  which,  in  the  pre- 


452  HISTORY   OP  ENGLAND. 

ceding  year,  had  been  adopted  for  similar  bodies  in  England, 
and  a  bill  embodying  this  principle  received  the  sanction  of 
the  lower  house ;  the  lords,  however,  insisted  that  the  state 
of  society  in  Ireland  was  such  that  municipal  institutions 
were  not  adapted  to  that  country,  and  resolved  that  the  cor- 
porations should  be  altogether  abolished  :  to  this  amendment 
the  commons  refused  to  agree,  and  the  bill  was  consequently 
lost.  A  similar  fate  awaited  the  Irish  tithe-bill;  the  lords 
rejected  the  appropriation  clause,  and  the  commons  would 
not  accept  the  measure  without  it.  Laws,  however,  were 
passed  for  the  commutation  of  tithes  in  England,  for  the  re- 
gistration of  births,  deaths,  and  marriages,  and  for  regula- 
ting episcopal  sees,  the  opposing  parties  having  each  yielded 
a  little  to  ensure  unanimity. 

17.  In  Upper  Canada  the  refractory  house  of  assembly 
was  dissolved,  and  at  the  new  election  a  majority  of  members 
favourable  to  the  British  government  was  returned.  But  in 
Lower  Canada  the  demands  of  the  French  party  were  not 
only  renewed  but  increased,  and  the  governor,  after  a  vain 
effort  to  conciliate  the  house  of  assembly,  put  an  end  to  the 
session. 

18.  In  America  the  progress  of  the  contest  between  Presi- 
dent Jackson  and  the  Bank  of  the  United  States,  greatly  em- 
barrassed all  commercial  transactions.  In  spite  of  all  legis- 
lative prohibitions,  the  country  was  inundated  by  an  over 
issue  of  paper  money,  and  the  government,  to  check  the 
evil,  decreed  that  specie  alone  should  be  received  in  payment 
for  public  lands.  The  small  notes  were  immediately  depre- 
ciated ;  several  banks  failed,  and  many  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants and  traders  were  unable  to  discharge  their  engage- 
ments. The  crisis  was  sensibly  felt  in  England,  where  it 
greatly  checked  the  speculation  in  rail-roads,  which  were 
beginning  to  be  carried  to  a  perilous  extent ;  the  manufac- 
turing districts  suffered  most  severely  from  the  temporary 
pressure;  but  the  crisis  was  soon  over,  and  trade  again 
flowed  in  its  accustomed  channels. 

19.  The  parliamentary  session  of  1837  produced  few 
measures  of  importance ;  on  Irish  measures  the  houses 
maintained  their  opposite  opinions,  and  of  course  nothing 
was  done ;  in  matters  of  ecclesiastical  policy  the  result  was 
precisely  the  same  ;  the  only  matter  in  which  there  was  any 
appearance  of  unanimity,  was  in  the  adoption  of  resolutions 
for  administering  the  government  of  Lower  Canada  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  refractory  house  of  assembly.     A  gloom  was 


VICTORIA. 


453 


thrown  over  these  and  other  discussions  by  the  increasing 
illness  of  the  king,  whose  disease  at  an  early  period  prog- 
nosticated its  fatal  termination.  His  majesty  died  on  the 
morning  of  the  20th  of  June,  sincerely  regretted  by  every 
class  of  his  subjects.  During  his  reign  of  nearly  seven 
years,  the  nation  enjoyed  tranquillity  both  at  home  and 
abroad  ;  it  was  the  only  reign  in  the  annals  of  England 
during  which  there  was  no  execution  for  treason  and  no 
foreign  war. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  was  the  condition  of  France  after  the  Revolution  ? 

2.  Did  any  civil  war  arise  in  Portugal  ? 

3.  How  was  Turkey  forced  into  dependence  on  Russia  ? 

4.  What  was  the  state  of  parties  in  the  first  reformed  parliament  ? 

5.  To  what  measure  of  domestic  policy  was  the  attention  of  parliament 

directed  ? 

6.  What  change  was  made  in  the  East  and  West  India  colonies  ?  • 

7.  Did  the  reformed  parliament  satisfy  expectations  ? 

8.  To  what  dangers  was  the  American  union  exposed  ? 

9.  On  what  questions  was  lord  Grey's  cabinet  divided  ? 

10.  What  circumstances  led  to  further  changes  in  the  ministry? 

11.  On  what  occasion  was  the  Melbourne  cabinet  dissolved? 

12.  How  was  sir  Robert  Peel  compelled  to  resign  ? 

13._  With  what  measures  did  the  Melbourne  ministry  succeed? 

14.  In  what  condition  was  Canada  ? 

15.  Can  you  state  the  circumstances  of  the  civil  war  in  Spain  ? 

16.  On  what  subjects  were  the  majorities  of  the  lords  and  commons  at 

variance  ? 

17.  What  was  the  progress  of  Canadian  discontent  ? 

18.  What  commercial  crisis  occurred  in  America  ? 

19.  Why  was  the  session  of  1837  unproductive  of  important  events? 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
VICTORIA. 

Born  1819.     Began  to  reign  1837. 

They  decked  her  courtly  halls — 
They  reined  her  hundred  steeds ;- 

They  shouted  at  her  palace  gate, 
A  noble  queen  succeeds.  -  Anon. 


Victoria,  the  only  daugher  of  Edward,  duke  of  Kent, 
succeeded  her  late  uncle,  and  her  accession  to  the  throne  was 
hailed  with  more  than  ordinary  enthusiasm.  All  parties 
vied  with  each  other  in  testifying  their  affectionate  allegiance 
to  their  youthful  sovereign,  called  at  the  early  age  of  eigh- 


454  HISTORY    OP    ENGLAND. 

teen  to  rule  over  the  destinies  of  a  mighty  empire.  The 
formal  business  of  parliament  was  completed  with  all  possi- 
ble despatch,  and  at  the  close  of  the  session  the  parliament 
was  dissolved.  Although  there  was  a  keen  trial  of  strength 
between  the  rival  political  parties,  the  elections  were  un- 
usually tranquil ;  and  at  their  close  it  appeared  that  the 
triumphs  of  the  opposing  parties  were  very  nearly  balanced. 
Public  attention  was  next  directed  to  the  preparations  made 
for  entertaining  her  majesty  at  a  civic  banquet  on  the  9th  of 
November.  They  were  on  a  scale  of  unrivalled  magnifi- 
cence, and  her  majesty's  procession  to  the  Guild-hall  was  one 
of  the  most  pleasing  pageants  ever  displayed  in  England. 
No  change  was  made  in  the  cabinet ;  and  when  parliament 
assembled  towards  the  close  of  the  year,  it  appeared  that  the 
ministers  retained  their  majority  in  the  house  of  commons, 
and  that  the  opposition  to  them  in  the  house  of  lords  had 
become  more  moderate.  The  state  of  Lower  Canada  was 
one  of  the  most  pressing  subjects  for  the  consideration  of  the 
legislature ;  the  opponents  of  the  government  had  taken  up 
arms,  and  raised  the  standard  of  rebellion.  But  it  soon  ap- 
peared that  their  measures  were  ill-concerted ;  after  a  brief 
struggle,  most  of  the  leaders  abandoned  their  followers  and 
sought  shelter  in  the  United  States.  Immediately  after  the 
reassembling  of  parliament  in  January,  1838,  measures  were 
introduced  for  the  temporary  government  of  Canada,  its 
constitution  having  been  suspended  by  the  revolt ;  and  the 
earl  of  Durham  was  appointed  governor  of  all  the  British 
colonies  in  North  America,  with  power,  as  lord  commissioner, 
to  arrange  the  differences  between  her  majesty's  government 
and  her  discontented  subjects.  At  present  everything  seems 
to  promise  a  long  and  prosperous  reign.  The  desultory  war 
in  Spain  does  not  seem  likely  to  disturb  the  general  tranquil- 
lity of  Europe,  and  the  increasing  facilities  of  national  in- 
tercourse, together  with  the  growing  diffusion  of  intelligence, 
have  led  the  rulers  and  the  people  on  the  continent  to  set  a 
higher  value  on  the  blessings  of  peace.  At  home,  the  rancour 
of  party  violence  has  sensibly  abated ;  the  internal  improve- 
ments of  the  country,  especially  its  rail-roads,  are  making 
rapid  progress ;  manufactories  are  springing  up,  which  would 
astonish  our  ancestors,  could  they  return  to  the  places  which 
were  once  their  homes ;  and  our  ships  in  constantly  increas- 
ing numbers  visit  every  region,  spreading  civilization  wher- 
ever they  go,  and  making  us  more  and  more  acquainted  with 
the  features  and  products  of  our  planet. 


PROGRESS    OF   LITERATURE,    SCIENCE,    ETC.  455 


CHAPTER  XL. 

SKETCH   OF    THE   PROGRESS   OF    LITERATURE,  SCIENCE,  AND  THE 
ARTS,    DURING    THE    PRESENT    CENTURY. 

Calmly  they  show  us  mankind  victorious 

O'er  all  that  'b  aimless,  blind,  and  base  ; 
Their  presence  has  made  our  nature  glorious, 

Unveiling  our  night's  illumined  face.  —  Sterling. 

1.  In  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  science  and  literature 
in  England  were  fast  losing  all  traces  of  originality  ;  inven- 
tion was  discouraged,  research  unvalued,  and  the  examina- 
tion of  nature  proscribed  ;  it  seemed  to  be  generally  estab- 
lished, that  the  treasures  accumulated  in  the  preceding  age, 
were  quite  sufficient  for  all  national  purposes,  and  that  the 
only  duty  which  authors  had  to  perform,  was  to  reproduce 
what  had  been  thus  accumulated,  in  a  more  elegant  shape, 
adorned  with  all  the  graces  of  polished  style.  Tameness  and 
monotony  naturally  result  from  a  slavish  adherence  to  es- 
tablished rules,  and  every  branch  of  literature  felt  this  blight- 
ing influence :  history,  perhaps,  was  in  some  degree  an  ex- 
ception ;  for  Hume,  Robertson,  but  more  especially  Gibbon, 
exhibited  a  spirit  of  original  investigation  which  found  no 
parallel  amongst  their  contemporaries.  2.  The  American 
war  first  broke  the  chains  that  had  thus  fettered  the  public 
mind ;  passions  were  excited,  party  zeal  kindled,  and  in  the 
keen  encounters  of  rival  statesmen,  an  example  was  set  of 
bidding  defiance  to  all  arbitrary  rules.  Parliamentary  elo- 
quence was  the  first  result  of  the  change,  and  the  principal 
cause  of  its  further  extension.  While  Burke,  Fox,  Sheridan, 
and  at  a  later  period,  Pitt,  spoke  as  their  peculiar  habits  of 
thought  prompted  them,  not  as  the  rhetoric  of  schools  taught, 
Cowper  and  Burns  made  vigorous  efforts  for  the  emancipa- 
tion of  poetry,  and  substituted  the  suggestions  of  nature  for 
the  dictates  of  art.  Their  success,  however,  would  scarcely 
have  been  decisive,  had  not  the  American  war  been  followed 
by  a  still  more  terrible  convulsion.  3.  The  French  revolu- 
tion shook  everything  that  had  been  morally  as  well  as  poli- 
tically established  in  Europe,  to  the  very  foundation.  There 
was  no  principle,  however  sacred — no  institution,  however 
sanctioned  by  long  experience — no  rule  of  conduct,  however' 
tried  and  proved — that  was  not  rudely  questioned  and  fiercely 
assailed.  Hopes  were  entertained  by  some,  that  a  new  era 
of  social  happiness  was  about,  to  dawn  upon  the  world  ; 
others  feared  that  society  was  about  to  be  rent  in  sunder,  and 


456  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

every  sign  of  civilization  destroyed.  It  is  not  our  purpose 
to  say  anything  of  the  political  effects  produced  by  the 
French  revolution  ;  its  literary  consequences,  as  has  been 
the  case  with  every  period  of  great  excitement,  were  de- 
cidedly beneficial.  A  total  change  was  wrought  in  every 
branch  of  literature,  a  change  which  demanded  from  every 
writer  vigorous  thought  instead  of  elegant  expression.  4. 
Oabbe,  the  poet  of  rustic  life  in  England,  derived  his  im- 
pulse from  the  American  war ;  but  it  is  to  the  struggle  with 
France  that  we  owe  Coleridge,  Wordsworth,  and  Southey — 
men  alike  in  their  devotion  to  nature,  but  different  in  their 
modes  of  testifying  that  homage,  because  each  has  followed 
the  bent  of  his  own  mode  of  thought.  The  enthusiasm  with 
which  these  eminent  poets  hailed  the  dawn  of  freedom  in 
France,  embittered  their  disappointment,  when  they  saw  the 
evil  uses  to  which  the  name  of  liberty  was  perverted ;  they 
became  vehement  opponents  of  the  political  developement 
of  the  French  revolution,  but  they  clung  fondly  to  its  intellec- 
tual principles,  and  maintained  the  right  of  genius  to  explore 
untravelled  paths,  though  its  course  might  not  be  that  pointed 
out  by  critics.  Their  example  was  followed  by  Montgomery, 
Byron,  Scott,  and  Campbell ;  and  by  a  host  of  other  writers 
whose  works  have  enriched  modern  literature.  The  female 
mind  also  felt  the  influence  of  this  mighty  revolution,  and 
some  of  the  noblest  productions  in  modern  poetry  have  been 
written  by  ladies.  We  may  mention  the  names  of  Miss 
Joanna  Bailie,  and  Mrs.  Hemans. 

5.  There  was,  however,  one  species  of  poetry,  the  drama, 
which  had  little  or  no  share  in  the  success  which  we  have 
described ;  in  fact,  it  was  almost  destroyed  by  that  very 
means.  It  is  at  the  moment  when  a  nation  is  wakening  into 
intellectual  life,  that  the  drama  most  flourishes  ;  men  are  then 
eager  to  receive  instruction,  and  the  theatre  affords  it  in  the 
most  pleasing  as  well  as  the  most  forcible  form.  But  as 
civilization  advances,  other  and  more  efficient  means  of  in- 
struction are  provided  ;  the  drama  loses  its  influence  over  the 
improved  generation,  just  as  the  picture-books  of  childhood 
cease  to  be  valued  in  youth  ;  it  sinks  into  a  mere  means  of 
entertainment,  and  its  strength  is  lost  with  its  high  purpose. 
The  periodical  press  now  holds  the  position  that  the  stage  did 
in  the  time  of  queen  Elizabeth  :  that  the  drama  might  ad- 
vance, it  would  be  necessary  for  civilization  to  retrograde, 
and  that  would  be  far  too  high  a  price  to  pay  even  for  ano- 
ther Shakspeare. 


PROGRESS   OF   LITERATURE,   SCIENCE,    ETC.  457 

6.  The  great  extension  and  excellence  of  our  periodical 
press,  both  literary  and  political,  is  one  of  the  most  striking 
characteristics  of  the  age.  Not  merely  the  Reviews  and 
Magazines,  but  even  the  common  newspapers,  display  literary 
merits  of  a  very  high  order.  Men  of  the  most  eminent 
abilities  and  exalted  stations,  contribute  to  our  journals ;  and 
they  consequently  hold  a  high  rank  in  the  literature  of  the 
age.  Reviews,  especially,  have  risen  into  unexampled  emi- 
nence, and  have  maintained  their  stations  by  a  succession  of 
articles  that  tend  at  once  to  improve  the  taste  and  enlarge  the 
understanding.  Some  of  the  periodicals  have  a  circulation 
which,  in  a  past  age,  would  not  have  been  credited ;  this  is 
owing  to  the  more  general  diffusion  of  education  among  all 
classes. 

7.  The  importance  of  affording  useful  instruction  to  every 
class  of  the  community,  is  now  universally  acknowledged  ; 
and  the  progress  of  education  has  become  so  rapid,  that  there 
is  every  prospect  that  its  blessings  will  soon  become  univer- 
sal. And  not  only  is  the  quantity  of  instruction  increased, 
but  its  quality  is  greatly  improved,  as  might  easily  be  shown 
by  a  comparison  of  our  present  school-books  with  those  of 
the  last  century.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  state,  that  the  ele- 
ments of  a  really  useful  education,  may  be  more  easily  at- 
tained by  the  poor  of  the  present  day,  than  by  the  richest  of 
past  generations. 

8.  History,  which  used  to  be  a  mere  repetition  of  what  had 
been  previously  narrated  by  others,  has  called  criticism  to 
its  aid.  Instead  of  a  slavish  adherence  to  authority,  we  now 
see  writers  carefully  examine  facts,  compare  evidence,  and 
investigate  the  motives  which  might  have  led  original  authors 
to  conceal  or  disguise  the  truth.  Lingard,  Hallarn,  Turner, 
Southey,  and  Sir  James  Mackintosh,  have  been  especially 
conspicuous  for  their  critical  sagacity,  in  eliciting  the  truth 
from  conflicting  statements ;  but,  notwithstanding  their  exer- 
tions, the  English  school  of  historical  criticism  may  still  be 
regarded  as  in  its  infancy. 

9.  Perhaps  we  may  ascribe  this  deficiency  in  our  histories 
to  the  unexampled  progress  and  popularity  of  romantic  litera- 
ture, owing  chiefly  to  the  labours  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  who 
was  among  the  first  to  unite,  in  works  of  fiction,  the  highest 
flights  of  imagination  with  the  realities  of  life.  Novels  and 
romances  have  ceased  to  be  dangerous  and  absurd,  though 
they  were  both,  in  a  period  not  very  remote.  Historical  ro- 
mances are  to  this  age,  what  the  historical  plays  of  Shaks- 

2a 


458  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

peare  were  to  a  former  period: — vivid  pictures  of  our  ances- 
tors; representing  them,  if  not  exactly  as  they  thought  and 
acted,  yet  so  nearly  what  they  might  have  been,  that  they 
become  to  us  a  kind  of  acquaintances,  and  seem  brought 
within  the  sphere  of  our  personal  knowledge. 

10.  Periodical  criticism  supplies  the  place  of  what  used  to 
be  termed  general  literature :  hence  formal  works  on  mental 
and  moral  philosophy  and  the  belles  lettres  are  rare.  Blair 
and  lord  Karnes  were  the  guides  of  our  fathers  in  matters  of 
taste ;  we  have  rejected  their  authority,  and  defer  more  to  the 
principles  maintained  by  the  leading  Reviews.  These  princi- 
ples, however,  are  scattered  in  different  essays  over  a  multi- 
tude of  volumes,  and  no  one  has  yet  appeared  of  sufficient 
authority  to  be  entrusted  with  the  task  of  collecting  them 
into  a  new  code.  11.  Reid,  Stewart,  and  Brown,  were  th* 
last  great  writers  on  metaphysics ;  their  fame  will  probably 
long  remain  uneclipsed,  for  the  science  of  mind  seems  to  hava 
lost  its  hold  on  public  attention,  as  indeed  have  almost  al\ 
merely  speculative  studies.  What  is  chiefly  desired  in  the 
present  day,  is  something  practical  and  immediately  useful. 

12.  Political  economy  and  statistics  have  occupied  the  po- 
sition which  was  once  held  by  metaphysics.  Adam  Smith 
was  in  some  measure  the  founder  of  the  former  science, 
from  his  investigating  the  nature  and  causes  of  a  nation's 
wealth.  Since  his  day,  the  subject  has  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  several  eminent  writers,  especially  Ricardo,  Malthus, 
and  Macculloch.  The  cultivation  of  statistics  must  be  the 
source  of  all  future  improvement  in  the  science  of  political 
economy,  because  it  is  to  the  table  of  the  statistician  that  the 
economist  must  look  for  his  facts ;  and  all  speculations  not 
founded  upon  facts,  though  they  may  be  admired  and  ap- 
plauded when  first  propounded,  will,  in  the  end,  assuredly  be 
forgotten. 

13.  The  abstract  sciences  have  made  great  progress  in 
England  during  the  last  few  years ;  principally  owing  to  the 
great  exertions  of  Airy,  Ivory,  Peacock,  and  Hamilton,  who 
have  greatly  extended  the  domain  of  mathematical  calcula- 
tion. In  the  mixed  and  applied  sciences,  also,  much  has 
been  done,  though  no  very  conspicuous  discovery  can  be 
mentioned.  14.  Astronomy  owes  much  to  the  great  im- 
pulse it  has  received  from  the  discovery  of  a  new  planet  by 
Sir  William  Herschell,  and  it  has  not  been  less  benefitted  by 
the  labours  of  his  son  and  successor,  Sir  John  Herschell, 
whose  investigations   into  the  nature   of  the  displacements 


PROGRESS    OP   LITERATURE,    SCIENCE,   ETC.  459 

observed  among  the  fixed  stars,  have  led  to  many,  and  will 
lead  to  more  important  results.  The  science  of  optics  has 
become  almost  wholly  new,  from  the  improvements  effected 
by  Sir  David  Brewster  and  Dr.  Young.  But  above  all,  dy- 
namics have  been  enriched  by  a  series  of  discoveries,  amount- 
ing to  a  complete  revolution  in  our  knowledge  of  motive 
powers ;  it  will  be  sufficient  to  mention  one  of  these,  the  ap- 
plication of  steam  to  machinery. 

15.  Chemistry,  electricity,  and  electro-magnetism,  may 
be  almost  regarded  as  new  sciences,  in  consequence  of  the 
numerous  discoveries  of  Davy,  Dalton,  and  Farraday.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  practical  advan- 
tages that  have  resulted  from  the  improvements  in  chemical 
science ;  but  we  may  mention  the  use  of  gas  to  light  our 
cities  and  public  buildings,  and  the  invention  of  the  safety- 
lamp,  by  which  the  dangers  to  be  dreaded  from  the  explosion 
of  the  fire-damp  in  mines  have  been  in  a  great  degree 
averted. 

16.  The  progress  of  maritime  and  inland  discovery  was 
very  great  during  the  early  part  of  ihe  reign  of  George  III. ; 
it  has  since  made  less  advance,  because  the  first  navigators 
left  little  for  their  successors  to  explore.  The  interior  of 
Africa  has,  however,  at  length  been  penetrated  by  the  Lan- 
ders, and  Burnes  has  found  a  practicable  route  from  the  Bri- 
tish possessions  in  Northern  India  to  central  Asia.  The 
value  of  these  researches  has  been  fully  proved  by  the  fact 
that  many  of  the  places  discovered  in  the  reign  of  George 
III.  by  Cooke,  Wallis,  Carteret,  Vancouver,  &c,  have  al- 
ready become  colonies,  or  valuable  dep6ts  of  British  com- 
merce. 

17.  Only  one  speculative  science,  it  seems,  has  enjoyed 
popularity — we  mean  geology ;  perhaps  part  of  its  success 
is  owing  to  its  connection  with  the  practical  science  of  min- 
eralogy. Geology  makes  us  acquainted  with  so  many  sin- 
gular facts  tending  to  prove  that  the  world  was  once  tenanted 
by  a  race  of  beings  different  from  those  now  found  in  it, 
that  we  cannot  be  surprised  at  the  delight  with  which  it  is 
studied.  Indeed  a  much  less  agreeable  subject  might  become 
popular,  if  recommended  by  men  of  such  ability  as  Cony- 
beare,  Smith,  Buckland,  Sedgwick,  Mantell,  and  Lyell. 

18.  Physiology,  anatomy,  and  natural  history,  have  re- 
ceived very  remarkable  improvements.  Hunter's  example 
has  stimulated  many  to  exert  themselves  in  the  same  field  of 
science ;  and  the  result  has  been  a  perceptible  increase  of 


460  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

the  average  duration  of  human  life.  The  investigation  of 
the  nervous  system  by  Sir  Charles  Bell,  is  among  the  most 
recent  and  brilliant  of  the  additions  that  have  been  made  to 
the  medical  science. 

19.  Statistical  science  may  almost  be  regarded  as  the 
creation  of  this  age.  The  word  statistics  was  invented  in 
the  middle  of  the  last  century  by  a  German  professor,  to  ex- 
press a  summary  view  of  the  physical,  moral,  and  social 
condition  of  states  ;  he  justly  remarked,  that  a  numerical 
statement  of  the  extent,  density  of  population,  imports,  ex- 
ports, revenues,  &c,  of  a  country,  more  perfectly  explained 
its  social  condition  than  general  statements,  however  graphic 
or  however  accurate.  When  such  statements  began  to  be 
collected,  and  exhibited  in  a  popular  form,  it  was  soon  dis- 
covered that  the  political  and  economical  sciences  were  likely 
to  gain  the  position  of  physical  sciences ;  that  is  to  say,  they 
were  about  to  obtain  records  of  observation,  which  would 
test  the  accuracy  of  recognized  principles,  and  lead  to  the 
discovery  of  new  modes  of  action.  But  the  great  object  of 
this  new  science  is  to  lead  to  the  knowledge  of  human  na- 
ture ;  that  is,  to  ascertain  the  general  course  of  operation  of 
man's  mental  and  moral  faculties,  and  to  furnish  us  with  a 
correct  standard  of  judgment,  by  enabling  us  to  determine 
the  average  amount  of  the  past  as  a  guide  to  the  average 
probabilities  of  the  future.  This  science  is  yet  in  its  infancy, 
but  has  already  produced  the  most  beneficial  effects.  The 
accuracy  of  the  tables  of  life  have  rendered  the  calculations 
of  rates  of  insurance  a  matter  of  much  greater  certainty 
than  they  were  heretofore ;  the  system  of  keeping  the  public 
accounts  has  been  simplified  and  improved ;  and  finally,  the 
experimental  sciences  of  medicine  and  political  economy, 
have  been  fixed  on  a  firmer  foundation  than  could  be  antici- 
pated in  the  last  century.  Even  in  private  life  this  science 
is  likely  to  prove  of  immense  advantage,  by  directing  atten- 
tion to  the  collection  and  registration  of  facts,  and  thus  pre- 
venting the  formation  of  hasty  judgments  and  erroneous  con- 
clusions. 

20.  Political  economy,  though  an  older  science  than  sta- 
tistics, must  be  regarded  as  intimately  connected  with  that 
branch  of  knowledge.  Its  object  is  to  ascertain  the  laws 
which  regulate  the  distribution  of  wealth,  and  the  relation  of 
demand  and  supply  in  the  production  and  consumption  of 
both  natural  and  artificial  commodities.  Such  a  science  is 
consequently  of  the  highest  importance  to  a  commercial  and 


PROGRESS   OF   LITERATURE,    SCIENCE,    ETC.  461 

manufacturing  community ;  and  the  increased  attention  paid 
to  it  of  late  years  has  led  to  a  removal  of  many  severe  re- 
strictions, which,  under  a  false  notion  of  protection,  were 
imposed  on  British  trade.  At  first  political  economy  was 
regarded  with  great  suspicion,  being  looked  upon  as  one  of 
those  idle  speculations  which,  under  the  false  designation  of 
social  sciences,  were  broached  in  France  during  the  frenzy 
of  the  revolution,  at  the  close  of  the  last  century.  But  its 
importance  is  now  so  fully  recognized,  that  professorships  of 
the  new  science  have  been  established  in  the  principal  uni- 
versities. 

21.  Even  in  this  slight  sketch  it  would  be  unpardonable 
not  to  mention  the  great,  the  almost  miraculous  increase  of 
machinery  in  our  manufactories;  an  increase  consequent  upon 
the  cultivation  of  the  sciences  and  their  practical  application. 
The  use  of  steamboats,  of  locomotive  engines,  and  of  count- 
less machines  for  superseding  manual  labour,  has  placed  Bri- 
tain far  in  advance  of  all  other  manufacturing  countries,  and 
proportionably  increased  the  comforts  of  every  class  of  the 
community. 

22.  Great  as  the  progress  of  British  industry,  arts,  and 
sciences  was,  under  the  three  preceding  reigns,  it  has  recently 
received  a  new  impulse  by  the  formation  of  the  British  Asso- 
ciation for  the  promotion  of  science,  which  promises  to  pro- 
duce the  most  beneficial  results.  The  meetings  of  this  society 
are  held  annually  at  some  one  or  other  of  the  great  towns  of 
the  empire :  its  objects  are,  to  give  a  stronger  impulse  and 
more  systematic  direction  to  scientific  enquiry;  to  promote  the 
intercourse  of  those  who  cultivate  science  in  the  different 
parts  of  the  British  empire,  with  each  other,  and  with  foreign 
philosophers ;  to  obtain  a  more  general  attention  to  the  objects 
of  science,  and  a  removal  of  any  disadvantages  of  a  public 
kind  which  might  impede  its  progress.  The  Association 
has  had  a  meeting  in  each  of  the  following  places :  York, 
Oxford,  Cambridge,  Edinburgh,  Dublin,  Bristol,  and  Liver- 
pool. It  is  divided  into  seven  sections  :  1 ,  Mathematics  and 
Physics;  2,  Chemistry  and  Mineralogy;  3,  Zoology  and 
Botany  ;  4,  Anatomy  and  Physiology ;  5,  Geology  ;  6,  Sta- 
tistics; and  7,  Mechanical  Science.  In  all  these  departments, 
but  especially  the  two  last,  the  greatest  benefits  have  resulted 
from  bringing  practical  men  into  immediate  contact  with  the 
theoretical  cultivators  of  science.  Magnetical  observatories 
have  been  established  in  consequence  in  various  parts  of  the 
empire,  and  several  series  of  observations  have  been  made, 

2q2 


462  HISTORY    OF   ENGLAND. 

to  determine  the  direction  and  intensity  of  the  magnetic  force. 
The  attention  of  the  Association  has  also  been  directed  to 
experiments  tending  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  the  connexion 
between  electricity  and  magnetism ;  and  since  its  formation 
meteorology  has  been  so  extended  as  to  become  a  new  science. 
The  attention  of  the  statistical  section  has  been  recently 
directed  to  the  state  of  public  education,  and  to  the  condition 
of  the  working  classes,  both  in  the  manufacturing  and  agri- 
cultural districts.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  investigations 
will  point  out  the  evils  which  require  to  be  remedied,  and  the 
means  by  which  the  constitution  of  society  in  Great  Britain 
may  be  elevated  and  improved. 

23.  Turning  from  the  useful  to  the  elegant  arts,  we  must 
first  remark  the  great  revival  of  architectural  taste  during 
the  last  two  reigns,  especially  as  displayed  in  the  many  im- 
provements of  the  metropolis.  Inconvenient  and  narrow 
passages  have  been  removed  to  make  room  for  Regent  Street, 
one  of  the  finest  lines  of  communication  in  Europe;  the 
Regent's  Park  and  the  new  squares  in  Pimlico,  occupy  spaces 
which  were  recently  unsightly  wastes ;  and  the  Strand,  from 
being  an  inconvenient  thoroughfare,  has  been  widened  into  a 
street  which  for  its  beauty,  combined  with  its  adaptation  to 
business,  has  few,  if  any  rivals.  The  erection  of  those  two 
magnificent  structures,  Waterloo  and  London  bridges,  has 
led  to  the  opening  of  new  lines  of  communication,  which 
promise  to  be  equally  ornamental  and  useful.  Recent  cala- 
mities have  also  given  an  impulse  to  architectural  skill ;  the 
destruction  of  both  houses  of  Parliament  and  the  Royal  Ex- 
change by  fire,  have  rendered  the  erection  of  new  edifices 
necessary ;  and  judging  from  the  excellence  of  the  designs 
which  have  been  tendered  for  the  erection  of  new  houses  for 
the  legislature,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  new 
building  will  be  worthy  of  an  enlightened  age  and  nation. 

24.  Though  painting  and  sculpture  have  not  been  unpa- 
tronized,  it  must  be  confessed  that  they  have  not  advanced 
with  the  same  rapidity  and  steadiness  as  the  other  arts,  though 
England  possesses  professors  of  both  who  deserve  to  be 
ranked  among  the  ornaments  of  their  country.  Many  causes 
may  be  assigned  for  this  inferiority,  but  the  principal  is  the  dis- 
continuance of  the  use  of  pictures  and  statues  for  religious  pur- 
poses since  the  time  of  the  Reformation.  Notwithstanding  this 
disadvantage,  however,  the  English  school  of  art  has  recently 
made  such  great  advances,  that  it  bids  fair  at  no  distant  day 
to  rank  as  the  first  in  Europe.     The  National  Gallery,  which 


PROGRESS    OF    LITERATURE,    SCIENCE,    ETC.  463 

has  been  recently  completed  in  Trafalgar  Square,  will  pro- 
bably be  found  one  of  the  best  aids  to  the  encouragement  of 
excellence  in  statuary  and  painting,  and  to  the  formation  of 
the  public  taste  for  appreciating  the  beauties  of  art. 

25.  The  great  additions  made  to  the  British  Museum,  and 
the  freedom  with  which  its  treasures  are  opened  to  the  public, 
must  tend  greatly  to  inspire  a  taste  for  contemplating  the 
wonders  of  nature  and  art.  The  department  of  Natural 
History  must  be  taken  in  connexion  with  the  Zoological 
Gardens,  which  have  been  recently  established,  not  only  in 
the  metropolis,  but  in  the  various  parts  of  the  empire :  thus 
viewed,  it  is  unrivalled  in  the  world.  The  Elgin  marbles 
contain  specimens  of  Athenian  sculpture,  belonging  to  an  age 
when  that  art  had  attained  the  summit  of  its  glory,  and  though 
unfortunately  mutilated,  they  furnish  models  to  the  young 
aspirants,  which  cannot  be  studied  without  the  most  advanta- 
geous results.  In  the  gallery  of  Egyptian  antiquities,  the 
historical  student  has  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  advances 
made  in  civilization  by  a  powerful  nation  three  thousand  years 
ago,  and  for  consulting  the  strongest  evidences  of  the  truth 
of  Biblical  History. 

26.  In  this  rapid  view  of  literature,  science,  and  the  arts, 
space  has  only  allowed  the  mention  of  a  few  leading  features ; 
but  there  is  one  circumstance  more,  too  important  to  be 
omitted :  the  growing  and  marked  connexion  between  reli- 
gion and  every  department  in  which  human  intelligence  is 
exercised.  The  discoveries  of  the  traveller  are  combined 
with  the  labours  of  the  missionary  ;  the  studies  of  the  natu- 
ralist are  directed  to  elucidate  the  wonders  of  creative  power; 
our  best  poets  have  dedicated  no  small  portion  of  their  works 
to  celebrating  the  praises  of  their  God ;  and  in  other  depart- 
ments of  literature  few  traces  can  be  found  of  the  levity, 
the  profaneness,  and  the  sneers  at  things  sacred,  which  so 
often  sullied  the  writings  of  the  past  generation.  It  is  now 
deeply  felt  and  strongly  enforced,  that  all  researches,  whether 
mental  or  material,  directly  tend  to  give  new  proofs  of  the 
power,  the  wisdom,  and  the  beneficence  of  that  Almighty 
Being  who  has  called  into  existence,  and  so  wonderfully 
adapted  to  each  other,  the  universe  of  matter  and  the  universe 
of  mind. 

27.  But  it  is  not  in  reference  to  England  alone  that  this 
beneficial  change  in  the  character  of  our  national  literature, 
demands  our  thankfulness  and  admiration.  The  language  of 
England  girdles  the  globe ;  it  is  spoken  in  every  climate  and 


464  HISTORY    OP   ENGLAND. 

every  quarter  of  the  earth ;  her  colonies  are  laying  the  foun* 
dations  of  future  states ;  the  descendants  of  her  colonies 
have  already  become  one  of  the  foremost  nations  in  rank 
and  influence.  England  has  thus  obtained  great  influence  in 
the  future  progress  of  civilization,  and  on  her  is  thrown  the 
responsibility  of  moulding  the  character  of  countless  gene- 
rations. While  we  thus  perceive  that  she  has  been  called 
by  the  dispensation  of  Providence  to  fulfil  a  high  destiny, 
we  should  at  the  same  time  feel  how  important  is  the  trust, 
and  earnestly  desire  that  its  performance  should  be  such  as 
to  promote  the  honour  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  mankind, 
establishing  everywhere  the  principles  announced  at  the  ad- 
vent of  our  blessed  Redeemer,  "  Peace  on  earth,  good  will 
towards  men." 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  In  what  state  was  British  literature  about  the  middle  of  the  last 

century  ? 

2.  By  what  political  event  was  a  change  effected  ? 

3.  What  consequences  resulted  from  the  French  revolution  f 

4.  Were  these  effects  exhibited  in  our  poetical  literature  ? 

5.  How  did  the  drama  fail  to  share  in  the  general  improvement  ? 

6.  What  circumstances  connected  with  the  periodical  press  are  pecu- 

liarly characteristic  of  the  present  age  ? 

7.  Has  much  been  effected  for  the  cause  of  national  education  ? 

8.  Are  histories  written  in  the  present  day  remarkable  for  anything  that 

was  rare  in  the  last  century  ? 

9.  What  branch  of  literature  has  flourished  to  the  probable  injury  of 

history  ? 

10.  Why  are  works  on  general  literature  rare  ? 

11.  Have  metaphysics  received  much  attention  ? 

12.  What  advantages  may  result  from  the  cultivation  of  political  economy 

and  statistics  ? 

13.  Have  any  advances  been  made  in  the  mathematical  sciences  ? 

14.  What  improvements  have  been  effected  in  the  physical  sciences  ? 

15.  Have  any  sciences  been  so  much  improved  that  they  may  almost  be 

regarded  as  new  ? 

16.  What  advantages  have  resulted  from  the  progress  of  maritime  and 

inland  discovery  ? 

17.  Why  has  geology  become  popular  ? 

18.  Did  the  medical  sciences  share  in  the  general  improvement  ? 

19.  What  are  the  nature  and  objects  of  Statistical  Science  ? 

20.  In  what  condition  is  the  new  science  of  Political  Economy  ? 

21.  What  great  inventions  have  been  made  in  the  useful  arts? 

22.  What  is  the  design  of  the  British  Association  ? 

23.  Have  any  improvements  been  made  in  architecture  ? 

24.  What  are  the  present  state  and  future  prospects  of  painting  and 

sculpture  ? 

25.  What  benefits  result  from  the  British  Museum  ? 

26.  Is  there  any  circumstance  peculiarly  gratifying  in  the  view  of  mod- 

ern literature  ? 

27.  What  is  there  peculiarly  important  in  the  present  condition  of 

England  ? 


THE    BRITISH    CONSTITUTION.  465 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE    BRITISH    CONSTITUTION. 

1.  Every  government  is  instituted  to  secure  the  general 
happiness  of  the  community,  and  especially  to  protect  the 
person  and  property  of  every  individual.  Constitutions  are 
established  to  ensure  the  good  administration  of  the  govern- 
ment, by  giving  the  people  some  direct  or  indirect  control 
over  their  rulers,  and  also  a  share  in  the  formation  of  the 
laws.  2.  The  British  constitution  differs  from  most  others 
in  its  formation ;  it  was  formed  very  gradually,  checks 
against  the  abuses  of  power  were  not  devised  until  the  evils 
were  actually  felt,  and  consequently  its  details,  though  some- 
times cumbrous,  and  perhaps  inconsistent,  are  the  results  of 
long  experience,  and  have  been  rendered  by  old  habits  ex- 
actly suited  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  nation. 

3.  The  government  established  in  England  by  the  Nor- 
man conqueror  was  a  feudal  despotism  ;  the  land  was  divi- 
ded into  fiefs,  which  were  for  the  most  part  given  to 'the  Nor- 
man lords  or  barons,  who  were  invested  with  absolute  power 
over  the  lives  and  fortunes  of  their  vassals.  There  were  no 
written  limitations  to  the  power  of  the  king  over  the  barons ; 
but,  Henry  I.,  eager  to  secure  partizans  in  his  usurpation  of 
the  crown  from  his  brother  Robert,  granted  a  charter  of  pri- 
vileges to  his  nobility,  which  contained  also  a  few  stipula- 
tions in  favour  of  the  great  body  of  the  people.  4.  The 
conditions  of  this  charter  were  flagrantly  violated,  until  at 
length,  in  the  reign  of  John,  the  barons,  with  a  powerful 
body  of  their  adherents,  appeared  in  arms  against  the  king, 
and  forced  him  to  sign  Magna  Charta,  the  great  foundation 
of  English  liberty.  Though  this  charter  was  principally  de- 
signed to  protect  the  nobles  from  the  encroachments  of  royal 
power,  it  contained  some  important  provisions  in  favour  of 
general  liberty  ;  a  clear  proof  of  the  growing  power  of  the 
commons. 

5.  When  the  importance  of  commerce  began  to  be  under- 
stood, it  was  found  necessary  to  secure  the  trading  towns  and 
communities  from  the  exactions  of  their  powerful  neighbours, 
for  in  the  middle  ages  piracy  and  highway  robbery  were 
deemed  honourable  professions  by  most  of  the  feudal  nobles 
in  Europe.     To  protect  trade,  charters  of  incorporations  were 


466  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

granted  to  several  cities  and  towns,  by  which  they  were  re- 
leased from  dependence  on  a  feudal,  lord,  and  permitted  to 
enjoy  a  government  of  their  own  choosing.  A  gradual 
change  took  place  through  the  country  in  consequence  of 
the  adventurous  and  reckless  spirits  of  the  Norman  barons ; 
some  sold  their#fiefs  to  raise  money  for  joining  the  crusades, 
others  wasted  them  by  piecemeal  to  support  their  riot  and 
dissipation,  and  thus  from  various  causes  a  body  of  small 
landholders  began  to  be  formed,  independent  of  the  great 
barons,  and  looking  to  the  crown  for  protection  against 
them.  6.  When  the  earl  of  Leicester  took  up  arms  to  re- 
strain the  capricious  tyranny  of  Henry  III.,  he  summoned  a 
parliament  to  sanction  his  designs,  and  that  the  voice  of  the 
nation  might  be  more  clearly  expressed,  he  invited  the  coun- 
ties to  elect  knights  of  the  shire,  and  the  cities  and  towns  to 
send  deputies,  to  aid  in  these  consultations.  This  appears  to 
have  been  the  first  attempt  to  form  a  house  of  commons  ; 
but  the  origin  and  early  progress  of  that  branch  of  the  legis- 
lature is  involved  in  great,  not  to  say  hopeless  obscurity. 

7.  The  commons  were  generally  courted  by  the  king  as 
a  counterbalance  to  the  power  of  the  nobility ;  until  the  civil 
wars  between  the  rival  nouses  of  York  and  Lancaster,  hav- 
ing thinned  the  ranks  of  the  barons,  extinguished  many 
noble  houses,  and  almost  annihilated  the  influence  of  the 
rest,  the  royal  power  became  supreme,  and  so  continued 
during  the  reigns  of  the  four  sovereigns  of  the  house  of 
Tudor.  8.  But  the  commons  during  this  period  had  been 
silently  collecting  their  strength,  and  on  the  accession  of 
James  I.  they  insisted  on  their  privileges  with  a  pertinacy, 
which  led  to  a  long  struggle  between  the  king  and  the  parlia- 
ment. In  this  contest  the  majority  of  the  house  of  lords, 
which  had  been  reinforced  by  the  elevation  to  the  peerage  of 
some  of  the  heads  of  the  old  English  families,  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  commons.  At  length  Charles  I.  was  coerced 
into  granting  the  petition  of  right,  which  secured  many  valu- 
able constitutional  privileges  to  the  people.  But  passions 
had  been  excited  in  the  struggle  which  brought  on  a  civil 
war,  that  ended  in  the  overthrow  of  the  monarchy. 

9.  During  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  the  celebrated  habeas 
corpus  was  passed,  by  which  personal  liberty  is  secured  to 
the  subject ;  but  the  perfection  of  the  British  constitution  was 
completed  in  1688,  when  James  II.  was  hurled  from  the 
throne  for  his  arbitrary  principles,  the  right  of  parliament  to 
regulate  the   succession   to  the  crown  established,  and  the 


THE    BRITISH    CONSTITUTION.  467 

liberties  of  the  people  secured  by  the  Bill  of  Rights,  and  the 
Act  of  Settlement.  10.  Since  that  period  no  important 
change  was  made  in  the  constitution  until  the  passing  of  the 
recent  Reform  Bill,  by  which  the  decayed  and  deserted 
boroughs  have  lost  their  right  of  sending  members  to  parlia- 
ment, and  the  privilege  has  been  transferred  to  the  larger 
counties  and  more  important  towns. 

11.  The  legislative  power  of  England  is  placed  in  the  par- 
liament, which  consists  of  three  parts,  the  king,  (or  queen), 
the  lords,  and  the  commons. 

12.  The  crown  of  England  is  hereditary,  but  parliament 
has  a  right  to  alter  the  line  of  succession.  After  the  abdi- 
cation of  James  II.,  the  right  of  succession  was  limited  to 
protestants,  and  on  the  impending  failure  of  protestant  heirs 
to  Charles  I.,  the  settlement  was  extended  to  the  protestant 
line  of  James  I.,  viz.  to  the  princess  Sophia  of  Hanover,  and 
the  heirs  of  her  body  being  protestants.  The  present  reign- 
ing family  is  descended  from  the  princess  Sophia,  and  holds 
the  throne  in  right  of  her  parliamentary  title. 

13.  The  duties  of  the  sovereign  are  described  in  the  coro- 
nation oath ;  they  are,  first,  to  govern  according  to  law ; 
secondly,  to  execute  judgment  in  mercy ;  and  thirdly,  to 
maintain  the  established  religion.  14.  The  prerogatives  of 
the  king,  by  which  is  meant  those  privileges  which  belong  to 
him  in  consequence  of  his  high  station  and  dignity,  are  either 
direct  or  incidental.  The  chief  of  his  direct  prerogatives 
are,  the  power  of  making  war  and  peace ;  of  sending  and 
receiving  ambassadors  ;  of  pardoning  offences  ;  of  conferring 
honours  and  titles  of  dignity  ;  of  appointing  judges  and  sub- 
ordinate magistrates  ;  of  giving  or  revoking  commissions  in 
the  army  or  navy  ;  and  of  rejecting  bills  proffered  to  him  by 
the  other  branches  of  the  legislature.  He  is  the  head  of  the 
national  church,  and  nominates  to  vacant  bishoprics  and 
other  ecclesiastical  preferments. 

15.  But  the  king  can  only  exercise  his  prerogatives 
through  ministers,  who  are  responsible  to  the  nation  for 
every  act  emanating  from  royal  authority.  Hence  arises 
the  aphorism  that  "  the  king  can  do  no  wrong,"  his  ministers 
being  alone  answerable. 

16.  The  incidental  prerogatives  of  the  king  are  various  ; 
a  few  alone  need  be  mentioned :  no  costs  can  be  recovered 
against  him ;  his  debt  shall  be  preferred  before  that  of  a 
subject ;  no  suit  or  action  can  be  brought  against,  but  any 


468  HISTORY    OF    ENGLAND. 

person  having  a  claim  in  point  of  property  on  the  king  must 
petition  him  in  chancery. 

17.  There  are  certain  privileges  also  conceded  to  the  royal 
family  :  the  queen  retains  her  title  and  dignity  even  after  the 
death  of  her  husband  :  she  has  authority  to  buy  and  sell  in 
her  own  name,  and  to  remove  any  suit  in  which  she  is  con- 
cerned to  whatever  court  she  pleases,  without  any  of  the 
usual  legal  formalities.  The  king's  eldest  son  is  by  his  birth 
prince  of  Wales,  and  by  creation,  duke  of  Cornwall  and 
earl  of  Chester.  All  the  king's  children  receive  the  title  of 
royal  highness. 

"18.  The  house  of  lords  is  sometimes  called  the  upper 
house  of  parliament ;  its  members  are  either  temporal  peers, 
whose  dignities  are  hereditary,  or  spiritual  peers,  who  sit 
only  for  life.  The  Scottish  representative  peers  sit  only  for 
one  parliament,  the  Irish  representative  peers  sit  for  life.  A 
peer  may  vote  by  proxy;  but  each  peer  can  only  hold  the 
proxy  for  one  absent  peer.  The  house  of  lords  can  alone 
originate  any  bills  that  affect  the  rights  or  privileges  of  the 
peerage  and  the  commons  are  not  permitted  to  make  any  al- 
terations in  them.  Peers  can  only  be  tried  by  the  house  of 
lords,  and  this  house  constitutes  the  court  in  which  officers 
of  state  are  tried  on  impeachment  by  the  house  of  commons ; 
it  is  also  the  last  court  of  appeal  from  inferior  jurisdictions. 
Each  peer  may  enter  his  protest  on  the  journals  when  a  vote 
passes  contrary  to  his  sentiments,  and  assign  the  reasons  of 
his  dissent  in  writing.  When  sitting  in  judgment  his  verdict 
is  given  "  on  his  honour ;"  the  same  form  is  observed  in  his 
answers  on  bills  in  chancery,  but  in  civil  and  criminal  cases 
he  must  be  sworn. 

19.  The  house  of  lords  (A.  D.  1836)  consists  of— 

Peers  of  Scotland 16 


Princes  of  the  blood  royal,  (all 

dukes) 4 

Other  dukes* 21 

Marquesses 19 

Earls 110 

Viscounts 18 

Barons 180 


Peers  of  Ireland 28 

English  bishops 26 

Irish  bishops 4 

Making  in  all   .    .  426 


*  The  origin  and  other  particulars  relative  to  the  different  classes  of  the 
noYility. — Duke. — This  title  was  unknown  in  England  till  the  reign  of 
Edward  III.,  who,  in  1335,  created  his  son,  Edward  the  Black  prince, 
duke  of  Cornwall,  (as  before  mentioned). 

Marquis. — Richard  II.,  in  1835,  conferred  the  title  of  marquis  on 
Robert  de  Vere,  earl  of  Oxford,  by  making  him  marquis  of  Dublin. 
This  is  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  the  title  in  England. 

Earl. — This  is  a  very  ancient  title,  having  been  in  use  among  our 
Saxon  ancestors.    In  those  times  it  was  an  official  dignity,  having  a 


THE    BRITISH    CONSTITUTION.  469 

20.  The  house  of  commons  consists  of  members  chosen 
by  counties,  cities,  boroughs,  and  universities.  The  mem- 
bers for  counties,  commonly  called  knights  of  the  shire,  must 
possess  a  real  estate  of  6001.  a  year,  and  members  for  cities 
or  boroughs  of  300Z.  a  year.  The  sons  of  peers  and  mem- 
bers for  the  universities  are  not  required  to  produce  these 
qualifications. 

21.  Aliens,  clergymen,  judges,  returning  officers  in  their 
respective  jurisdictions,  officers  of  the  excise,  &c,  those 
who  hold  pensions  of  limited  duration,  contractors  with  gov- 
ernment, and  some  others  exposed  to  external  influence,  are 
uneligible  to  parliament. 

22.  The  right  of  voting  for  members  of  parliament  is 
given  by  the  late  reform  act  to  leaseholders  in  counties  seised 
of  lands  or  tenements  worth  ten  pounds  a  year,  to  tenants  at 
will,  farming  lands  at  a  rent  of  fifty  pounds  a  year,  and  to 
holders  in  fee-simple  of  lands  or  tenements  of  the  yearly 
value  of  forty  shillings.  In  cities  and  boroughs  the  right  of 
voting  is  given  to  resident  householders  whose  tenements  are 
worth  an  annual  rent  of  10Z.,  but  the  rights  of  freemen  in 
the  old  constituency  are  preserved  for  the  term  of  their  natural 
lives. 

23.  The  house  of  commons  contains — 


Irish  county  members      .    64^ 

Universities    .     .    .      2M05 
Cities  and  boroughs    .    .    393 

Making  in  all    ...      658 


English  county  members  .  143"^ 

Universities 4  >471 

Cities  and  boroughs     .     .  324J 
Welsh  county  members  .    15?    2q 

cities  and  boroughs  14  5 
Scotch  county  members  .    30  )    «« 
Cities  and  boroughs    .     .235 

24.  In  order  to  understand  the  manner  in  which  the  public 
business  is  transacted  in  parliament,  we  insert  a  brief  ac- 
count of  the  usual  forms,  and  an  explanation  of  the  terms 
generally  used.     Discussions  generally  arise  on   a   motion 

jurisdiction  over  the  place  from  which  the  title  took  its  name.  Soon  after 
the  Norman  conquest,  we  find  that  William  created  several  earls,  allot- 
ting to  each  the  third  penny  arising  from  the  pleas  in  their  respective  dis- 
tricts. That  grant  has,  however,  long  since  ceased,  and  in  lieu  of  it  the 
earls  now  receive  a  small  annuity  from  the  exchequer. 

Viscount. — The  title  of  viscount  is  of  much  more  recent  date  ;  the 
first  we  read  of  being  John  Beaumont,  who  was  created  viscount  Beau- 
mont by  Henry  VI.  in  the  year  1439. 

Baron. — In  English  history  we  often  find  the  word  baron  used  to  de- 
nominate the  whole  collective  body  of  the  nobility.  When,  after  the 
Norman  conquest,  the  Saxon  title  of  Thane  was  disused,  that  of  baron 
succeeded  ;  and  being  the  lowest  title  among  the  nobles,  was  very  gene- 
rally applied  as  the  term  lord  is  now  ;  with  which,  indeed,  it  appears  to 
be  synonymous. 

2b 


470  HISTORY    OP   ENGLAND. 

being  made  by  a  member,  seconded  by  another,  and  then 
put  from  the  chair  in  the  shape  of  a  question  ;  on  each  of 
these,  every  member  is  entitled  to  be  heard  once,  but  he  may 
rise  again  to  explain,  and  the  member  who  originates  a  mo- 
tion is  allowed  to  reply. 

25.  Committees  are,  first,  those  of  the  whole  House, 
which  may  be  to  consider  of  certain  resolutions,  in  respect 
to  the  nature  of  which  considerable  latitude  prevails  ;  or  the 
house  resolves  itself  into  such  committee  to  consider  the  de- 
tails of  a  bill,  the  principle  of  which  is  never  discussed  unless 
on  its  several  readings  ;  or  there  may  be  committees  for 
financial  purposes,  as  those  of  "  supply,"  or  "  ways  and 
means."  Secondly,  there  are  select  committees,  chosen  by 
ballot  or  otherwise,  for  some  specific  purpose — the  numbers 
composing  such  bodies  seldom  exceed  twenty  or  thirty  mem- 
bers :  occasionally  these  are  declared  committees  of  secrecy. 
Thirdly,  election  committees,  which  are  strictly  judicial  tri- 
bunals, and  whose  duty  it  is  to  try  the  merits  of  controverted 
elections — these  are  always  chosen  by  ballot.  Fourthly, 
committees  on  private  bills. 

26.  When  the  whole  house  is  in  committee,  the  speaker 
vacates  the  chair,  some  other  member  is  called  on  to  preside, 
and  he  sits  in  the  seat  of  the  senior  clerk.  The  mace  is 
then  placed  under  the  table.  For  committees  of  supply  and 
ways  and  means,  there  is  a  chairman,  who  receives  a  salary. 

27.  The  prorogation  of  parliament  is  an  act  of  the  crown ; 
but  either  house  may  adjourn  its  sittings  to  the  next  or  any 
future  day,  as  of  course  it  may  adjourn  any  debate.  Mo- 
tions of  adjournment  may  be  made  at  any  time,  and  repeated 
at  the  pleasure  of  any  member. 

28.  When  a  motion  has  been  made  upon  which  the  House 
happens  to  be  unwilling  to  come  to  a  vote,  there  are  formal 
modes  of  avoiding  a  decision,  among  which  are  passing  "  to 
the  other  orders,"  or  moving  "  the  previous  question."  The 
former  means,  that  the  house  should — casting  aside  and 
taking  no  further  notice  of  the  matter  then  before  it — pro- 
ceed to  the  other  business  appointed  for  that  day  ;  the  latter, 
that  a  vote  be  previously  taken  as  to  the  expediency  of  their 
coming  to  any  decision  on  the  question  raised.  If  "  the  pre- 
vious question"  be  decided  in  the  negative,  the  motion  on 
which  it  bears  is  only  gotten  rid  of  for  the  time,  whereas  a 
direct  negative  to  the  motion  itself  would  be  a  proscription  of 
it  for  the  remainder  of  the  session,  as  well  as  a  denial  of  its 
principle. 


THE    BRITISH    CONSTITUTION.  471 

29.  With  respect  to  a  bill,  moving  that  it  "  be  read  this 
day  six  months,"  is  a  mode  of  throwing  it  out  without  coming 
to  an  express  declaration  against  the  principle  of  the  measure. 

30.  An  acceptance  of  "  the  Chiltern  hundreds"  is  a  form 
which  has  now  no  other  meaning  than  that  the  member  ac- 
cepting resigns  his  seat.  By  an  express  act  of  parliament, 
no  office  having  emolument  attached,  can  be  conferred  by 
the  crown  on  a  member  of  the  house  of  commons  without 
his  thereby  vacating  his  seat,  and  it  is  only  thus  that  a  mem- 
ber can  rid  himself  of  the  duties  which  any  body  of  consti- 
tuents may  impose  even  without  his  consent;  the  crown, 
therefore,  as  an  accommodation  to  the  house  at  large,  is 
always  ready  to  confer  on  any  member  "  the  stewardship  of 
his  majesty's  Chiltern  hundreds,"  which  office,  when  it  has 
served  his  purpose,  he  immediately  resigns. 

31.  The  king,  we  have  already  said,  is  the  fountain  of 
executive  justice.  Law,  whether  criminal  or  civil,  however, 
is  administered  by  the  judges,  who,  with  the  exception  of 
the  lord  chancellor,  hold  their  places  during  good  behaviour. 
No  man  can  be  tried  for  any  offence  until  the  grand  jurors 
of  his  country  have  decided  that  there  is  reasonable  ground 
for  the  accusation  ;  he  is  then  given  in  charge  to  a  jury  of 
his  equals,  and  their  verdict  is  final.  No  man  can  be  tried 
twice  for  the  same  offence,  and  when  a  person  is  convicted  by 
a  jury,  there  is  no  appeal  but  to  the  mercy  of  the  king. 

32.  The  administration  of  civil  law  could  not  be  described 
within  our  narrow  limits ;  it  must  suffice  therefore  to  state, 
that  the  civil  and  common  law  courts  are  open  to  every 
suitor,  and  that  justice  is  freely  administered  to  all,  whatever 
may  be  their  rank  or  station. 


Questions  for  Examination. 

1.  What  is  the  use  of  a  constitution  ? 

2.  Whence  arises  the  peculiar  excellence  of  the  British  constitution  ? 

3.  By  whom  was  the  first  charter  granted  to  the  English  people  ? 

4.  What  circumstances  led  to  the  concession  of  Magna  Charta  ? 

5.  Why  were  corporations  established  ? 

6.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  house  of  commons  ? 

7.  Did  the  kings  favour  the  house  of  commons  ? 

8.  When  did  the  authority  of  the  king  come  into  collision  with  the  au- 

thority  of  parliament  ? 

9.  What  led  to  the  revolution  of  1688  ? 

10.  What  change  was  made  by  the  Reform  Bill  ? 

11.  Into  what  branches  is  the  British  legislature  divided  t 

12.  How  is  the  inheritance  of  the  crown  regulated  ? 

13.  Where  are  the  king's  duties  prescribed  ? 


472  HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND. 

14.  What  are  the  king's  direct  prerogatives  ? 

15.  How  are  these  prerogatives  exercised  ? 

16.  What  are  the  king's  incidental  prerogatives? 

17.  Are  any  privileges  conceded  to  the  royal  family  ? 

18.  Can  you  describe  the  privileges  of  the  peerage  ? 

19.  How  are  the  members  of  the  house  of  lords  classed  ? 

20.  What  are  the  qualifications  for  a  member  of  parliament  ? 

21.  Are  any  persons  excluded  from  the  lower  house  of  parliament  ? 

22.  How  is  the  right  of  voting  for  members  of  parliament  regulated  ? 

23.  How  are  the  members  of  the  house  of  commons  classed  ? 

24.  In  what  manner  do  discussions  arise  ? 

25.  Can  you  describe  the  committees  of  the  house  of  commons  ? 

26.  What  form  is  used  on  going  into  committee  ? 

27.  How  does  prorogation  of  parliament  differ  from  adjournment  ? 

28.  How  does  the  house  avoid  coming  to  a  decision  ? 

29.  How  may  a  bill  be  rejected  without  prejudice  to  the  principle  it  in- 

volves ? 

30.  What  is  meant  by  accepting  the  Chiltern  hundreds? 

31.  How  is  the  criminal  law  administered  ? 

32.  Has  due  provision  been  made  for  the  administration  of  common  and 

civil  law  ? 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  Tables  are  extracted  from  a  very  ingenious  and  valuable 
Engraving,  entitled  "  HISTORY  MADE  EASY,  or  a  Genealogical 
Chart  of  the  Kings  of  England,"  by  E.  Reynard  :  to  which  we  beg 
to  refer  the  reader  for  further  useful  information. 


MONARCHS  BEFORE  THE  CONQUEST. 


«5 


No. 


MONARCHS. 


Egbert* 

Ethel  wolf. ." 

Ethelbald 

Ethelbert  

Et helred  1. 1 

Alfred! 

Edward  the  Elder 

Athelstan 

Edmund  I.  § 

Edred 

Edwy 

Edgar 

Edward  IF 

Ethelred  IF.|| 

Edmund  Ironside  II 

Sweyn 

Canute 

Harold  I 

Hardicanute 

Edward  III.  or  the  Confessor 

Harold  II.,  son  of  Godwin,  earl  of  Kent 


Began 

to 
Reign. 


A.  D. 

827 


857 


872 
901 
925 
940 
946 
955 
959 
975 
978 
1016 

1014 
1017 
1036 


1041 
1066 


Reigned 
Years. 


*  Egbert  descended  from  Cerdic,  the  first  king  of  Wessex,  a  Saxon  general,  who, 
in  the  year  A.  D.  495,  arrived  in  Britain.  It  is  said  in  the  Saxon  annals,  that  he 
was  descended  from  Woden,  the  root  of  the  Saxon  families  ;  and  by  his  conquest 
which  he  made  in  Britain,  he  may  be  considered  as  one  of  the  first  founders  of  the 
English  monarchy  :  the  kings  of  England  descend  from  him  in  the  male  line  to 
Edward  the  Confessor,  and  in  the  female  line  to  the  illustrious  princess  who  now 
site  upon  the  throne. 

t  Killed  in  battle  against  the  Danes,  in  871. 

X  Introduced  trial  by  jury,  divided  England  into  shires  and  hundreds,  and  founded 
the  University  of  Oxford. 

§  Was  killed  by  Leolf,  a  notorious  robber. 

J  In  1014,  Sweyn,  king  of  Denmark,  made  himself  master  of  England,  and  was 
crowned  king:  and  Ethelred  fled  into  Normandy.  On  the  death  of  Sweyn,  which 
happened  in  1015,  the  crown  was  contested  by  Edmund  Ironside,  (the  lawful  suc- 
cessor of  Ethelred),  and  Canute,  the  descendant  of  Sweyn,  who  at  length  agreed 
to  divide  the  kingdom  among  them;  but  Edmund  being  murdered  shortly  after 
this  treaty  was  entered  into,  Canute,  (surnamed  the  Great)  was  declared  king  of 
all  England  in  1017. 

2r2  '473) 


474 


APPENDIX 


MONARCHS  SINCE  THE  CONQUEST. 


Ill 


V-5 


§! 


ll 


£g  1 


MONARCHS. 


William  1.4 
William  II. 
Henry  I.  .. . 

Stephenf  •  • 

Henry  II.  J 
Richard  I. . 
John 


Henry  III. 
Edward  I. 


Edward  II. 
Edward  III. 
Richard  II. 


Henry  IV.§ 


Henry  V. . 
Henry  VI. 


Edward  IV.||. 
Edward  V.  . . 
Richard  III.  . 


Henry  VII.TT- 
Henry  VIII.  . 


Edward  VI. 
Mary  I. 
Elizabeth.., 


James  I.** 

Charles  I 

Charles  II 

James  II 

Will.  III.  &  Mary  II 
Anne 


30  George  I-tt 

31  George  II.  . 

32  George  III. 

33  George  IV. 


34  William  IV. 

35  I Victoria 


Began 

to 
Reign 


1068 
1087 
1100 

1135 

1155 

1189 
1199 


1216 
1272 


1307 
1327 
1377 


1399 


1413 
1422 

1461 
1483 
1483 

1485 
1509 


1546 
1553 
1558 

1603 
1625 
1661 
1685 
1689 
1702 

1714 

1727 
1760 
1820 
1830 
1837 


To  whom  married. 


When 
mar- 
ried. 


Matilda  of  Flanders 

(Never  married) 

Matilda  of  Scotland 


Matilda  of  Bologne 


Eleanor  of  Guienne  . . . 
Berengnella  of  Navarre. 
Earl  Montague's  daughter 

Avisa  of  Gloucester 

Isabella  of  Angouleme. . . 

Eleanor  of  Provence 

Eleanor  of  Castile 

Mary  of  France 

Isabella  of  France 

Philippa  of  Hainault  .... 

Ann  of  Luxemburgh 

Isabella  of  France 


Mary  Bohun , 

Joanna  of  Navarre  . 
Catharine  of  France 
Margaret  of  Anjou  . 

Elizabeth  Woodville 
(Never  married)  .... 
Ann  Nevill 


Elizabeth  of  York 

Catharine  of  Arragon  . . 
A.  Boleyn  31,  J.  Seymour 
Ann  of  Cleves,  C.  Howard 

Catharine  Parr 

(Died  young) 

Philip,  king  of  Spain  . . 
(Never  married) 


Ann  of  Denmark 

Henrietta  of  France , 

Catharine  of  Portugal 

A.  Hyde  1660,  Mary  Mod 
Mary,  daugh.  of  James  II. 
Geo.  prince  of  Denmark 


Sophia  of  Zell 

Wilhelmina  of  Anspach  . 
Charlotte  of  Meek.  Strel. 
Caroline  of  Brunswick.  ■ 
Adelaide  of  Saxe  Mein  . 
Albert  of  Saxe  Gotha... 


Reign 
ed 

Years 


1053 


1135 

1151 
1191 
1185 
1189 
1200 
1236 
1253 
1299 
1308 
1328 
1382 


1317 
1403 
1420 
1444 

1465 


1471 

1486 
1509 
1536 
1540 
1543 


1554 


1589 
1625 
1662 
1673 
1683 
1683 

1681 
1705 
1761 
1795 
1818 
1840 


*  Son  of  Robert,  duke  of  Normandy. 

f  Son  of  Adela  and  count  of  Blois :  hence  the  House  of  Blois. 

+  Son  of  Matilda  and  Geoffrey  Plantagenet:  hence  the  Plantagenet  race. 

I  Son  of  John  of  Gaunt,  duke  of  Lancaster :  hence  the  House  of  Lancaster. 

||  Son  of  Richard,  duke  of  York,  lineally  descended  from  Lionel,  duke  of  Cla- 
rence, the  second  son  of  Edward  the  Third  :  hence  the  House  of  York. 

IT  Was  the  son  of  Margaret  and  Edward  Tudor.  Margaret  was  a  lineal  de- 
scendant from  John  of  Gaunt,  duke  of  Lancaster  :  Edmund  Tudor  was  the  son  of 
Owen  Tudor,  who  married  the  widow  of  Henry  V. :  hence  the  House  of  Tudor. 

**  Son  of  Mary,  queen  of  Scots,  and  Henry  Stuart,  lord  Darnley :  hence  the 
race  of  Stuarts. 

ft  Elector  of  Hanover :  hence  the  race  of  Brunswick: 


APPENDIX. 


475 


DIVISION  OF  ENGLAND 

At  the  time  of  the   Roman  invasion. 

England,  including  Wales,  was,  at  the  invasion  of  the  Romans, 
divided  into  the  following  seventeen  states : 

Called  by  the  Romans  Consisting  of 

1.  The  Dammonii  . . .  .Cornwall  and  Devon. 

2.  Durotriges Dorsetshire. 

3.  Belg*: Somersetshire,  Wilts,  and  part  of  Hants. 

4  Attrebatii Berkshire. 

5.  Regni Surrey,  Sussex,  and  remaining  part  of  Hants. 

6.  Cantii Kent. 

7.  Dobuni Gloucester  and  Oxfordshire. 

8.  Cattieuchlani  . . .  Bucks,  Bedford,  and  Herts. 

9.  Trinobantes Essex  and  Middlesex. 

10.  Iceni Suffolk,  Norfolk,  Huntingdon,  aud  Cambridge. 

11.  Coritani Northampton,  Leicester,  Rutland,  Lincoln,  Not- 

tingham and  Derby. 

12.  Corn  a  vi Warwick,   Worcester,    Stafford,  Chester,   and 

Shropshire. 

13.  The  Silures Radnor,  Brecon,  Glamorgan,  Monmouth,  and 

Hereford. 

14.  Demet^e Pembroke,  Cardigan,  and  Caermarthen. 

15.  Ordovices Montgomery,  Merioneth,  Caernarvon,  Flint,  and 

Denbigh. 

16.  The  Brigantes.  .  .York,  Durham,  Lancashire,  Westmoreland,  and 

Cumberland. 

17.  Ottadini .Northumberland  to  the  Tweed. 


KINGS  OF  ENGLAND, 
From  the  invasion  of  Julius  Ccesar  to  the  departure  of  the  Romans. 


anno,  a  c. 

1.  Cassi velaunus 83 

2.  Theomantius 50 

3.  Cymbeline 24 

A.D. 

4.  Guiderius 45 

5.  Arviragus 73 


A.  D. 

6.  Marius 125 

7.  Coilua 179 

8.  Lucius 207 

9.  Severus  (em.)  ....  211 

10.  Bassianus 218 

11.  Carausius 225 


12.  Alectus 232 

13.  Asclepiodorus  ....  262 

14.  Coilusll 289 

15.  Constantiusfem.).  310 

16.  Constantine  (em.)  329 


From  the  departure  of  the  Romans  till  the  introduction  of  the  Saxons  by 
Vortigern. 

A.  D.  1  A.  D.  I  A.  D. 

Octavius 383  Gratian 431    Constantius 446 

Maximinianus 391 1  Constantine  1 4461  Vortigern 450 


476 


APPENDIX. 


INTRODUCTION  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

According  to  Bede,  and  other  authentic  historians,  the  kingdoms  of 
the  Heptarchy  embraced  Christianity  in  about  the  following  order  : 


A.  D. 

Kent 593 

East  Saxons 604 

Northumberland 628 

East  Angila....' 636 

Began. 

The  kingdom  of  Kent 457 

East  Saxons,  or  Essex 527 

Northumberland 547 

East  Anglia 575 

West  Saxons,  or  Wessex 519 

Mercia 582 

SouthSaxons 490 


A.  D. 

Wessex 636 

Mercia 669 

South  Saxons 686 


Ended. 

Capital. 

823 

Canterbury. 

746 

London. 

792 

York. 

783 

Dunwich. 

1066 

Winchester. 

847 

Leicester. 

600 

Chichester. 

THE  BRITISH  MINISTRY. 

September,  1841. 

Salary. 

Sir  Robert  Peel,  Bart First  Lord  of  the  Treasury £5,000 

Lord  Lyndhurst Lord  High  Chancellor 14,000 

Lord  Whakncliffe Lord  President  of  the  Council. 2,000 

Duke  of  Buccleuch Lord  Privy  Seal 2,000 

Sir  James  R.  G.  Graham Secretary  of  State— Home  Dep 5,000 

Earl  of  Aberdeen Secretary  of  State— Foreign  Dep 5,000 

Lord  Stanley Secretary  of  State— Colonial  Dep 5,000 

Rt.  Hon.  Henry  Goulbourn Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer 5,000 

Earl  of  Haddington First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty 4,500 

Sir  Edward  Knatchbull Paymaster-General 2,500 

Earl  of  Ripon President  of  Board  of  Control :.    2,000 

Rt.  Hon.  W.  E.  Gladstone President  of  the  Board  of  Trade 

Sir  Thomas  Freemantle Secretary  at  War 2,580 

Duke  of  Wellington Commander  of  the  Forces 


THE  ARCHBISHOPS. 


William  Howley,  D.  D.,  Primate 
Edward  Harcoort,  D.  C.  L 


Income. 

..Canterbury .£129,946 

..York 223,220 


REVENUE. 
The  total  income  of  the  year  ending  January  5, 1844,  was 


je50,071,943 


THE  END. 


YB  30277 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRAHY 


